Trail transmission line opponents present petitions

More than 250 Cedar Valley Nature Trail users and neighbors have signed petitions opposing the construction of a high-voltage transmission line by ITC Midwest along a segment of trail.

Transmission line opponents presented their petitions to the Linn County Conservation Board at its meeting Monday afternoon. They said the transmission line is inconsistent with the recreational use of the trail, and could be harmful to human health and wildlife habitat.

Steve Kennell of 375 Woodland Dr., Robins, said the public's big concerns about the project  were how it would affect the usability of the trail, about health and noise issues for people and wildlife, and "pure aesthetics."

ITC initially wanted to expand its utility easement between its Hiawatha Substation and the municipal limits of Robins from eight feet to 100 feet in width.

ITC's Mike Ivester said Monday the company has decided to scale back its easement request due to public concerns from 100 feet in width to 55 feet in width. He said the transmission operator is interested in extending the length of the easement, however, from the Hiawatha Substation north to Midway Road, a distance of ab out three miles.

The proposed new 161-KV transmission line would run north along the trail and then east along undetermined routes to the company's proposed new Coffey Substation on Austin Road, one-half mile west of Highway 13. It is needed, ITC officials say, to handle the electric needs of current and future developments in northern Linn County.

In addition to building the 161-kilovolt transmission line proposed, ITC also wants to upgrade the 34.5 kilovolt transmission line that already runs along the trail.

Conservation board members weren't unsympathetic to the four or five opponents who came to the meeting, but seemed reluctant to dig in their heels against the transmission line. President Tom Peiffer said the board is still in the information gathering stage.

Peiffer said his personal assumption was that everyone who lives along the trail and everybody who uses the trail will be against it, but he also believes everyone living along any other transmission route ITC selects would also oppose the transmission line.

Kennell said that even with a 55-foot right-of-way, he remains concerns about how much vegetation will be cut back and how much wildlife habitat will be lost.

ITC officials indicated that the company would use prairie grasses and other lower-growing plants to replace any trees cut down.

Board member Mike Wyrick said it seemed to him that because ITC had long held a transmission right-of-way along the trail, "that this deal is going through," but that the board could still ask for a lot to minimize the effects in the agreement.

Some board members were adamant in rejecting human health concerns about the transmission line based on available research.  They seemed to acknowledge opponents' concerns about how construction could damage the smooth, recently repaved and repainted trail surface, which has been praised by rollerbladers.

ITC officials said the concerns about crackling noises emanating from high-transmission lines wouldn't be justified unless the line proposed were much more powerful, and even then would be a concern mainly on damp days when most people wouldn't be outside.