Although this radio news item refers mostly to the impacts on agricultural landowners, the transmission line placement is also very important for its possible impact on wildlife areas. Jane Clark
Hearings Under Way for All-Important Transmission Line Upgrade Richard Alan, Public News Service-IA http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/33771-1 A plan is in the works to build a 215-mile electric transmission line across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa - with about 145 miles of it in Kossuth, Winnebago and Worth counties. The developer of the project, ITC Midwest, is holding a series of hearings along with the Iowa Utility Board to see what landowners think about the project. Lucas Nelson, energy analyst for the Center for Rural Affairs, said additional high-voltage transmission lines are critical to wind-energy expansion. "These are actually called multi-value projects," he said, "which means in this region they would help increase reliability, efficiency and development of wind energy." The hearings will provide landowners with information about the project, he said - particularly how it will affect agriculture. "For some of these areas, agriculture is the main livelihood, it's very important to the people in the area," he said. "These meetings are a good chance to ask about processes like irrigating and spraying fields to how they would be impacted by the line and to learn how the line runs along their property." Nelson said it's also an opportunity to provide feedback to the developer and to state regulators. The meetings will be held at 9 a.m. today in Kensett, at 2 p.m. today in Thompson and at 9 a.m. in Lakota. Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/33771-1 --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/PayDues.aspx. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
