LETTER: Land Trust will fight to keep ATC line out of nature areas

To Ozaukee Press:

In response to American Transmission Company’s (ATC) proposed preferred route for its high-voltage transmission line supplying the Port Washington data centers, Restoring Lands (formerly Ozaukee Washington Land Trust) will join others in encouraging an alternative that aligns with environmental and community goals. 

Restoring Lands is urging ATC to pursue its eastern alternate route, that will be less damaging to permanently conserved lands. Restoring Lands will also scrutinize whether there is a need for the line at all and closely evaluate resource impacts of the line.

On behalf of our supporters and the landowners who entrusted their lands to our care, Restoring Lands stands firmly opposed to ATC’s attempt to locate 180-foot-tall transmission towers and 250-foot-wide utility corridors across our permanently conserved landscapes in western Ozaukee and eastern Washington counties.

We support environmentally informed siting of energy infrastructure. The eastern alternative routing of this transmission project will make better use of already-existing utility corridors and safeguard long-established conservation areas where such development is prohibited.

Restoring Lands has worked for decades to conserve and restore southeastern Wisconsin’s ecologically significant landscapes, including Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve and Sauk Creek Nature Preserve. The charitable organization has permanently protected more than 7,500 acres including 30 community nature preserves. 

Most of the 7,500 conserved acres entrusted to Restoring Lands remains in private ownership. These lands are conserved because landowners voluntarily donated development rights of their properties via agreements known as conservation easements.

Many of these public and private conserved lands would be negatively and irreversibly impacted by ATC’s preferred western transmission line routing through Saukville and Fredonia. ATC’s preferred routing cuts directly through lands and waters that our community has intentionally protected for the enjoyment and benefit of all. We are prepared to vigorously defend the integrity of these conserved lands.

Tom Stolp

Executive director

Restoring Lands

West Bend