BAXTER - In early 2010, Great River Energy intends to construct a 9.3-mile transmission line in Sylvan Township of Cass County to Baxter in Crow Wing County.
The transition line is needed to accommodate growth. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has approved an area for the line's route, but the exact location has not been determined by Great River Energy or Potlatch, a major landholder in the area.
One option that has residents concerned is running the transmission line down the Cass County and Crow Wing County line. If put there, it would require the removal of a stand of old oak trees that separates residents from the Potlatch land intended for industrial park use.
The Baxter City Council in February approved a Potlatch request to support the location of a Great River Energy power line along the corridor of the current power line in west Baxter.
Sylvan Township resident Troy Hradsky last week talked about a buffer of trees between his property and Potlatch property in Baxter that would be removed under one option being considered by Great River Energy to install a transmission line into Baxter. The trees are the only thing between Hradsky's property and an industrial park.
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No trees means no buffer for residents along the transmission route.
"It's not so much the power line I'm concerned about looking at, it's the industrial park," said Troy Hradsky, whose family owns property abutting the county line and is one of several residents who would be affected by the transmission line being placed along the county border.
Hradsky has offered Great River Energy his own thoughts on where the line could be put through Potlatch's property. While he doesn't begrudge Potlatch for not wanting to have its property intersected by the line, which could hamper future development, he hopes the same consideration will be given to property owners who may some day also want to develop.
Rick Heuring, Great River Energy senior field representative, said placing the transmission line around the perimeter of Potlatch's property was desirable because of Potlatch's development plans.
However, Heuring said it hasn't been determined if the line would be on the west side of the Potlatch property, which is along the Crow Wing County line with Cass County, or on the east side of the Potlatch property.
Great River Energy is surveying the Potlatch property to determine its boundaries and working with the company to find a route for the transmission line that has the least impact.
"We haven't confirmed anything with them at this time, but they are keenly interested in seeing the alignment on the perimeter, on the edges of the property," Heuring said. "In either case, whether it be an east or west alignment, each side has its limitations. The issues mentioned, like the buffer of trees, have to be evaluated before a final decision made."
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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