The Final stages for Basin Electric's Transmission Line
Posted: Jan 17, 2014 12:06 PM CSTUpdated: Jan 17, 2014 12:27 PM CST
Last November, we visited the Killdeer Battlefield historical site, which is at the center of a new controversy. Basin Electric proposed to run a transmission line from its coal power plant in Beulah to Williston.
But that route would place the transmission line within 2 miles of that site, and run near the Killdeer Mountains.
Basin Electric and USDA Rural Utility Services, has already met with the public in Watford City, on the proposed transmission line. But if you couldn't make it to the meeting, the USDA still wants to hear your comments.
"There's still time. There are a lot of ways people can do that. They can email and give information but what's really important is that there are alternatives and I think people need to talk about and tell the agency and Basin Electric that there are other ways to do this," says Dakota Resource Council director, Don Morrison.
Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk says the project is in the final stages before a decision can be made. He says it's just a matter of finalizing an environmental impact study.
"The commission held three different hearings around the state and during those hearings we received in put from the public the computer made their case as to why this power line is needed so we completed the hearings. After the hearings we were quite honestly waiting for some information from some of the different concerned groups we received all that information now and we have work sessions set up in early February and I'm anticipating a decision sometime this spring, it will make for a very detailed process," says Public Service Commissioner, Brian Kalk.
"There's still time. There are a lot of ways people can do that. They can email and give information but what's really important is that there are alternatives and I think people need to talk about and tell the agency and Basin Electric that there are other ways to do this," says Dakota Resource Council director, Don Morrison.
Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk says the project is in the final stages before a decision can be made. He says it's just a matter of finalizing an environmental impact study.
"The commission held three different hearings around the state and during those hearings we received in put from the public the computer made their case as to why this power line is needed so we completed the hearings. After the hearings we were quite honestly waiting for some information from some of the different concerned groups we received all that information now and we have work sessions set up in early February and I'm anticipating a decision sometime this spring, it will make for a very detailed process," says Public Service Commissioner, Brian Kalk.
The PSC has a draft of the environmental impact statement. Once that's finalized, the commission will use it, along with public testimony and other materials, to make its decision.
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