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dam-l FW: For Immediate Release
Jan. 11, 2000
For Immediate Release
For more information contact: Brian Elliott 612-623-3666 George Crocker
651-770-3861 Ann Stewart 612-871-8404 Mary Nelson 612- 861-4731
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Manitoba groups intervene in Duluth transmission
line hearings.
Duluth, MN - Several Minnesota and Wisconsin groups, and the Pimicikamak
Cree Nation (Cross Lake, Manitoba) filed petitions this week to intervene in
a contentious Minnesota Power transmission line proposal. At least 15
groups are asking Administrative Law Judge Phylis Reha to deny Minnesota
Power's request for an exemption of the Minnesota Power Plant Siting Act for
construction of a 12 mile 345,000 volt power line from Duluth to the
Wisconsin border.
"This project has enormous environmental and social implications," said
Brian Elliott, Energy Program Organizer for Clean Water Action Alliance.
"One question that is not answered is where will this electricity come from.
If it comes from coal plants, we are looking at significant increases in
soot and mercury pollution in Minnesota. If it comes from Manitoba Hydro
then we are looking at increasing the unconscionable devastation that is
taking place on Cree lands in northern Manitoba."
"The Pimicikamak Cree Nation know that any increase in Minnesota Power's
import of Manitoba Hydro will affect them directly," said Ann Stewart, U.S.
representative for the Cree. "The Cree Indians have seen 3 million acres of
their traditional land flooded and made inaccessible, their waterways choked
with debris, and their subsistence way of life and economy destroyed. They
Any additional use of Manitoba Hydro power will mean even more water
fluctuations and habitat destruction. Minnesota Power is disingenuous to
suggest that this transmission line project will not have regional impacts.
The Pimicikamak Cree ask Minnesotans to 'pull the plug' on Manitoba Hydro,
and not grant this exemption."
George Crocker, Executive Director of the North American Water Office said
granting an exemption to this project "would fly in the face of the very
purpose of the Power Plant Siting Act. It is simplistic for Minnesota Power
to claim that this project does not have massive regional implications. On
one hand, Minnesota Power claims this project is needed for 'regional
reliability' and then they turn around and ask for an exemption claiming
this project is only about a 12 mile section of line. Which is it?"
Concerned Minnesota Residents With Wisconsin Land Ownership, a group of
Minnesotans owning recreational and retirement property in Wisconsin joined
the filing. "This line is being built to ship power to Chicago and beyond,"
said Mary Nelson, of Richfield Minn, who owns property in Catawba, WI.
"While Minnesota Power claims their 12 mile 'rebuild' will have no
region-wide impact, I'd like to see them explain that to those of us that
have farms, homes and businesses along the proposed route through
Wisconsin."
Wisconsin's Save Our Unique Land (SOUL) also filed for intervenor status.
SOUL is a grassroots organization composed of property owners and local
public officials concerned about health effects, property devaluation and
environmental consequences of a 245 mile section of the line that will
connect to the Minnesota Power project.
Additional petitioners in the case include the Minnesota Department of
Commerce, SOUL of Lake Superior, Wisconsin Citizen Utility Board,
Kennan-Catawba SOUL, Rusk County County Citizen Action Group, Lake Superior
Greens, Chippewa Valley Bank of Bruce, WI, Exeland Rod & Gun Club, Exeland
Business Owners Club and the World Organization for Land Owner Freedom.
A public hearing on Minnesota Power's request for exemption will be held
Jan. 31, 2000. Petitioners will give testimony beginning at 1:30 pm at
Midway Town Hall in Duluth. At 7:00 PM the hearing will take testimony form
interested members of the public, and will continue through Feb 1 and 2 if
necessary.
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