Arrowhead-Weston Transmission Line Project Set For August
DNR permits upheld; Army Corps permit received
Waukesha, WI — Construction of the Arrowhead-Weston transmission line project will begin next month in Marathon County now that permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have been upheld by the Division of Hearings and Appeals. In addition, American Transmission Co. has received the Army Corps of Engineers permits required under the Corps jurisdiction for the construction of the project. The ruling by the Division of Hearings and Appeals was issued July 25, 2005.
"Confirmation of the DNR permits and receipt of the Army Corps permits ensures our ability to begin construction next month to meet an in-service date of June 2008. Acquiring these permits is the final regulatory step needed to build the project so that the millions of people in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest will have the reliable and secure supply of electricity they need," said Mark Williamson, ATC vice president of major projects.
The permits address the crossing of waterways, placement of poles in wetlands, discharge of fill material into wetlands, site erosion control and storm water management plans as well as other specific matters. "As is our practice, we will take care to protect and preserve the environment as we construct the project," said Williamson. The project will require 105 temporary bridges and 317 structures in wetlands.
"While we will be constructing in wetlands, our goal is to utilize construction measures that minimize impacts to wetlands and to the environment as a whole. In total, we will displace less than one-half of an acre of land with the construction in wetlands," Williamson said.
The Arrowhead-Weston transmission project originally was approved by the Public Service Commission in October 2001 and re-approved in December 2003 at a revised cost. All regulatory permits have been acquired, and ATC has negotiated easements with more than 300 private landowners for the use of their land.
SOURCE: American Transmission Company