ACTION ALERT! Public Hearing on Arrowhead-Transmission Line August 19, 2004

From: Todd Hanson [mailto:stewardship@wsn.org]
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 1:38 PM

The time is NOW to give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) feedback on the negative impacts of the proposed Arrowhead-Weston transmission line on the wetlands and other features of the national scenic riverways the proposed line would cross. A single public comment session has been scheduled for next week, so there are two actions you can take:

1. Attend the only Public Hearing held by the Army Corps:

Public Hearing August 19, 2004
7:00 PM
LCO Casino Convention Center
13767 West County Road B, about 4 miles east of Hayward, Wisconsin
Link to map of hearing location

2. Submit a letter to the Corps by August 29 expressing your concerns about the environmental impacts of the proposed line. Comments should be mailed to:

St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers
190 Fifth Street East
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1638

Click here to view and print a sample comment letter.

BACKGROUND

You will remember that the WDNR once recommended that the A-W line not be built along its proposed path due to the line’s impacts on forests, wetlands, and rivers. Despite this, the Public Service Commission (PSC) issued a Certificate of Public Need (which carries the power of eminent domain) to build the line. This certificate is currently being contested by Clean Wisconsin and SOUL who contend that the certificate was wrongly granted by the PSC. They contend the PSC did not follow its own rules to wait until the WDNR had issued its permits before issuing the certificate. The Corps should not compound this error. The Corps should be urged to wait until the after this appeal of the PSC’s action before deciding on the line.

Other points of objection to the Corp’s environmental impact statement are contained in a comment submitted by Gaylord Nelson and others. The WSN has posted Gov. Nelson’s comment at http://www.wsn.org/transmission_line/deis_comments_052704.pdf

Finally, Sandy Lyon of WSN member group Anishinaabe Niijii/Protect the Earth will be happy to talk with anyone interested about the A-W line's environmental impacts in areas where the Corps has jurisdiction. Sandy has followed this very closely, and she suggests that before you call her at (715) 766-2725, you visit http://www.protecttheearth.org/Gaylord%20Nelson%201.htm to learn more about the wild places of the northwest that Gaylord Nelson seeks to protect from the destruction of the proposed Arrowhead 345,000 volt transmission line.

Todd Hanson
Executive Director
WI Stewardship Network
122 State St. Ste. 510
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 268-1218 (phone & fax)

For more information: