My husband and I are the residents and landowners of property abutting portions on both sides of the Central Maine Power Co. corridor where it crosses the Androscoggin River from Lewiston into Auburn. The residential section of our property is in the direct path of the proposed transmission line for which CMP is seeking approval.

This property has been in my family for more than 79 years and has been a retirement home for us for the past 39 years.

As currently staked and flagged, a portion of the right-of-way claims a large section of our dooryard, including shade trees, and a large portion of our driveway.

The selected site of the proposed transmission poles and lines is objectionably positioned at the roadside entrance to our dooryard and would leave the residential section of our property fully exposed, commercialized and industrialized, but not residentialized in appearance, and completely out of character with the natural, peaceful dignity of our dooryard and our 200-year-old home.

We have been conscientiously and respectfully striving to save and preserve our property and retirement home from the obvious stressful detrimental effects that the installation of the proposed transmission line would have on our old family property, which is a major part of our retirement package.

Ruth S. Benjamin, Auburn