DRIFTLESS - All members of the public are invited to attend ‘Nature on the Line,’ a forum that will highlight the environmental and geological implications posed by two planned high-voltage power lines running through southern Wisconsin. The event is hosted by No 765 Line, Inc, a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide information and resources that help citizens take part in the planning of Wisconsin’s energy future.
The free event will take place on Sunday, October 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the North Crawford High School, 47050 County X, Soldiers Grove (junction of X and Highway 131). Doors open at noon.
Featured speakers will describe the risks of developing Wisconsin’s largest transmission line amidst the unique geology, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems in the Driftless Area and beyond:
Curt Meine, co-editor of ‘The Driftless Reader,’ will enhance our historical understanding of the unique wildlife ecology in the Driftless. Through collaborations with the International Crane Foundation and the UW-Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, he presents research to illustrate the threats from wide tower easements and 765 kV electromagnetic fields.
Neil Rettig, world-renowned wildlife cinematographer, will draw on his fieldwork conserving threatened wildlife and protecting ecosystems around the world to offer insights about what endangers birds of the Driftless.
Forest Jahnke of Crawford Stewardship Project will explain the unique vulnerability of surface water and groundwater in the Driftless Area, due to karst geology which features numerous sink holes and caves. He will also discuss the potential danger of footing massive steel towers in fragile karst geology in an area that is also prone to flooding. Jahnke will share online maps and tools that landowners can use to identify the contamination and collapse sensitivities of their landscape.
No 765 Line, Inc. hosts will be present for informal discussion before the event, providing informational handouts, and collecting petition signatures. Time for questions and answers will be allowed after each speaker’s presentation.
Visit www.no765line.org and join the email list to stay updated on events and opportunities to get involved. The next public forum will offer tips for line-route landowners who wish to write and submit their key concerns as ‘scoping documents’ for full environmental review by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin of the Maribell and BECI 765 kV transmission line proposals.
No 765 Line, Inc. is a Wisconsin 501c3 nonprofit comprised of citizens, businesses, communities, and organizations that share concerns about the potential impact of two proposed 765 kV transmission lines planned to cross southern Wisconsin and beyond. Learn more at www.no765line.org.
