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dam-l [harmful-hydro] WI powerline - Canada link
Study: Duluth-to-Wausau power line could harm environment
Last Updated: May 24, 2000 at 7:12:49 p.m.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) - Routes for a proposed power line running
through the forests from Minnesota to central Wisconsin would have
more impact on the environment than paths through populated areas, a
state report says.
Green Bay-based Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Duluth-based
Minnesota Power have proposed building a 240-mile, 345-kilovolt power
line from the Arrowhead substation near Duluth to a substation at
Weston near Wausau. The line would ship electricity from Canada and
western states to Wisconsin.
But a route stretching from near Duluth to Weston via Tripoli ranked
the highest in environmental impact, according to a 500-page
environmental impact report the Wisconsin Public Service Commission
recently released.
The report analyzed several variations of the Duluth-to-Wausau route
and alternate paths that would run more directly through central
Wisconsin.
The Duluth-to-Wausau route contains a high number of acres of county
forest, miles of state trails, rivers and shorelines, a landscape
that could be seriously harmed by construction of a major high-
voltage line, the report said.
Another route that would parallel an existing high-capacity line
running from King, Minn., through Eau Claire would damage natural
resources less, the report said.
Still, that path would pass through high-populated areas, which could
result in visibility problems, noise and property value issues, the
report said.
But that route is not among the paths the power companies have
proposed.
Date Valine of the private Wisconsin Public Service Corp. said the
company is still analyzing the report's details.
"We have not had the time to get into the details of it. It's going
to take us a few weeks," he said.
He said it is no surprise that the northern route would have the most
impact on forests. A proposed southern route from Exeland through
Owen to Wausau would affect agriculture, he said.
The application also requests authority to build a 42-mile-long
transmission line from the Oneida County village of Tripoli to the
U.S. 8 substation in Rhinelander and to build a substation in Tripoli.
A final environmental statement is expected be released this fall.
That report will be presented at public hearings to determine whether
the power line should be built and what route it should take.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will make the final decision
on the line.
© Copyright 2000, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. All rights reserved.
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