This afternoon there was a special meeting held by the Tooele County Commissioners. Their task was to entertain an appeal by Rocky Mountain Power for Conditional Use Permit 2010-1, which was denied by the Tooele County Planning Commission in March. Rocky Mountain Power's attorneys were not present due to I-80 being closed down due to the wildfire that was raging in the area. Marty Ohler explained Rocky Mountain Power's request to the Commission and then Jerry Hurst read a statement from the Commissioners.
Mr. Hurst stated that the Tooele County Commission did not err in denying the conditional use permit that was requested by Rocky Mountain Power. He continued that the government officials, local citizen groups, and RMP had sat down together and spent hours coming up with an acceptable route that would impact the least number of residents possible. From the start the southeast bench was deemed unacceptable by all entities involved except RMP. He stated he was shocked when that route appeared as the only proposed route that RMP was moving forward with. He had thought that route had been removed from RMPs proposal.
Mr. Hurst continued and listed the following items that the planning commission deemed important that had not been satisfactorily mitigated in RMPs plan. The items listed were as follows:
1. Health issues due to EMF that may contribute to increased childhood leukemia and interfere with pacemakers
2. Water Shed protection--of ground water and underground water. The herbicides used by RMP will contaminate a major water source of the residents of the county. The access road construction and use will further contaminate the county's water supply.
3. View Shed destruction
4. Increase in fire danger and the difficulty in fighting fires on the hillsides.
5. Devaluation of property values
6. Safety issues and visual interference of the Tooele High School "T"
7. Settlement Canyon Reservoir access--line placement will interfere with access to the reservoir. Water from the reservoir is used for fire suppression.
8. Access roads will destroy hill sides
9. Natural hazards to the lines in the area include earthquakes and extreme winds.
10. Negative impact on livestock grazing
11. Negative impact on wildlife and loss of their habitat
12. Crossing of a Superfund site (highly contaminated area--contaminated with lead and other items)
13. EIS not complete and there has been no record of decision on the final EIS as of yet.
Commissioner Hurst continued that the county is not opposed to the power, but to the south east bench route. He moved to uphold the Planning Commission's decision.
Commissioner Clegg mentioned that often people say, "NOT in my back yard." He stated this was in Tooele's "front yard," and was unacceptable.
The Planning Commissions denial was upheld unanimously by the three county commissioners. They also noted that the records from the Planning Commission meetings would become part of the records of this meeting.
We applaud the Tooele County Commission for their decision to uphold the Planning Commission decision to deny the CUP, but more so for them listening and responding to the citizens of Tooele County. We thank them for representing us the way we asked them to!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tooele County Commissioners Meeting March 30, 2010
The Tooele County Commissioners will consider RMP's appeal for the Conditional Use Permit on Tuesday March 30, 2010 at 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held at 47 South Main Street on the upper level. (Jerry Hurst had a previous State meeting commitment per the Transcript front page insert 3-11-10)
This is a Special County Commission meeting day and time. The meeting is open to the public, but not for open comment. It is during work, so if you can arrange for your lunch hour etc... Please attend to show your continued support we are opposed to the South East Bench Route. At this point it is very critical we increase our numbers. The number of people in attendance at these meetings to look them in the eye always makes a big difference, not only to the Commissioners, but to RMP. We want to show them that the citizens are committed to seeing this through.
This is a Special County Commission meeting day and time. The meeting is open to the public, but not for open comment. It is during work, so if you can arrange for your lunch hour etc... Please attend to show your continued support we are opposed to the South East Bench Route. At this point it is very critical we increase our numbers. The number of people in attendance at these meetings to look them in the eye always makes a big difference, not only to the Commissioners, but to RMP. We want to show them that the citizens are committed to seeing this through.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tooele County Planning Commission Denial
At the Tooele County Planning Commission meeting held on March 3, 2010, the commissioners voted to deny Rocky Mountain Power the conditional use permit that they applied for 5-0. Contrary to what the RMP representatives have been saying in the news, the Commission gave extensive reasons and evidence for their denial. Some of the areas that mitigation was not adequately shown by RMP were the following:
Wildlife preservation
Disturbance of the International Smelter's superfund site
Settlement Canyon Reservoir use
Preservation of view sheds
Potential contamination of watershed and springs
Tooele High School's "T" for visual and safety reasons
Health risks associated with high-power trasnmission lines
Potential loss of proeprty values
The commission also noted that it was premature to act on the conditional use permit when the final environmental impact study has not been completed.
Many of the impact items presented in RMP's proposal were presented as a "trade-off" due to the impact that their project would have on the area in question. They asked that the County approve items without any specific plans given. Trade offs are not acceptable mitigation for the residents of Tooele. Specific, acceptable mitigation plans must be shown, which was not the case.
We applaud the commission for their decision. It was the right decision based on what was presented to them, which was an incomplete and unacceptable proposal.
Wildlife preservation
Disturbance of the International Smelter's superfund site
Settlement Canyon Reservoir use
Preservation of view sheds
Potential contamination of watershed and springs
Tooele High School's "T" for visual and safety reasons
Health risks associated with high-power trasnmission lines
Potential loss of proeprty values
The commission also noted that it was premature to act on the conditional use permit when the final environmental impact study has not been completed.
Many of the impact items presented in RMP's proposal were presented as a "trade-off" due to the impact that their project would have on the area in question. They asked that the County approve items without any specific plans given. Trade offs are not acceptable mitigation for the residents of Tooele. Specific, acceptable mitigation plans must be shown, which was not the case.
We applaud the commission for their decision. It was the right decision based on what was presented to them, which was an incomplete and unacceptable proposal.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
PRESS RELEASE for Tooele County Planning Commission Meeting to Consider RMP Lines
TOOELE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING
WEDNESDAY MAR 3, 2010
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Topic: Rocky Mountain Power’s Application for Conditional Use Permit
Mona to Oquirrh Transmission Corridor
to Construct 500kv/345 kv High Voltage Power Lines
Tooele South East Bench Route
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAR 3, 2010
This is round two of the Public Hearings with the Tooele County Planning Commission for citizens to voice their opinion on the devastating environmental damage that would happen if Rocky Mountain Power’s Conditional Use Permit Application is approved to construct 345kv high power transmission lines on the South East Bench Route in Tooele. Citizen’s have collected and submitted “mountains” of information to the BLM and to the County Planning Commission to read through which supports their opinion this route cannot possibly be mitigated.
The route if approved will run within a half mile of over 900 homes on the SouthWest and SouthEast areas of Tooele City. This distance is too close according to experts and newly released medical studies on the health hazards of EMF exposure from high voltage power lines. Tooele City’s culinary water system’s water source is at risk of contamination affecting over 30,000 residents from the herbicides used to kill and control vegetation beneath the transmission lines and from ground disturbance during and after construction. Two hundred and two acres of dense vegetation including pine trees and scrub oak will be permanently destroyed on the benches. It also crosses a capped Superfund site where construction would unearth arsenic and lead tailings potentially threatening neighboring residents and will restrict access to Tooele High School historic “T” by students and alumni, to name just a few of the major reasons this route is the most detrimental route RMP could take through Tooele to the Wasatch Front.
Tooele County elected government officials feel that RMP’s choice for the siting of these lines is unacceptable to the County. Tooele County Commissioners came out with a 3-0 vote in July of last year opposing the South East Bench Route as well as Tooele City Council’s unanimous opposing vote last July. A preferred route through Tooele County was presented to RMP last September in a Consensus Letter signed by Tooele County Commissioners, Tooele City Mayor/Council, Grantsville City Mayor/Council and Tooele and Grantsville Concerned Citizen Group Representatives. This unified group of local government officials and citizens have been feverishly working on this disagreement with RMP in a relentless ongoing process. RMP seems unwilling to yield on their route choice at this point.
At the February 3 Planning Commission meeting the commission voted 3-2 to table the vote for more time to review the information submitted. The Commission is expected to vote at tonight’s meeting.
Heavy media coverage is expected from multiple news outlets.
Contact Information:
KAYE PRATT
Opposing Committee Representative
PUBLIC HEARING
WEDNESDAY MAR 3, 2010
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Topic: Rocky Mountain Power’s Application for Conditional Use Permit
Mona to Oquirrh Transmission Corridor
to Construct 500kv/345 kv High Voltage Power Lines
Tooele South East Bench Route
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAR 3, 2010
This is round two of the Public Hearings with the Tooele County Planning Commission for citizens to voice their opinion on the devastating environmental damage that would happen if Rocky Mountain Power’s Conditional Use Permit Application is approved to construct 345kv high power transmission lines on the South East Bench Route in Tooele. Citizen’s have collected and submitted “mountains” of information to the BLM and to the County Planning Commission to read through which supports their opinion this route cannot possibly be mitigated.
The route if approved will run within a half mile of over 900 homes on the SouthWest and SouthEast areas of Tooele City. This distance is too close according to experts and newly released medical studies on the health hazards of EMF exposure from high voltage power lines. Tooele City’s culinary water system’s water source is at risk of contamination affecting over 30,000 residents from the herbicides used to kill and control vegetation beneath the transmission lines and from ground disturbance during and after construction. Two hundred and two acres of dense vegetation including pine trees and scrub oak will be permanently destroyed on the benches. It also crosses a capped Superfund site where construction would unearth arsenic and lead tailings potentially threatening neighboring residents and will restrict access to Tooele High School historic “T” by students and alumni, to name just a few of the major reasons this route is the most detrimental route RMP could take through Tooele to the Wasatch Front.
Tooele County elected government officials feel that RMP’s choice for the siting of these lines is unacceptable to the County. Tooele County Commissioners came out with a 3-0 vote in July of last year opposing the South East Bench Route as well as Tooele City Council’s unanimous opposing vote last July. A preferred route through Tooele County was presented to RMP last September in a Consensus Letter signed by Tooele County Commissioners, Tooele City Mayor/Council, Grantsville City Mayor/Council and Tooele and Grantsville Concerned Citizen Group Representatives. This unified group of local government officials and citizens have been feverishly working on this disagreement with RMP in a relentless ongoing process. RMP seems unwilling to yield on their route choice at this point.
At the February 3 Planning Commission meeting the commission voted 3-2 to table the vote for more time to review the information submitted. The Commission is expected to vote at tonight’s meeting.
Heavy media coverage is expected from multiple news outlets.
Contact Information:
KAYE PRATT
Opposing Committee Representative
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Salt Lake Tribune Article on March 1, 2010
The Salt Lake Tribune ran a story about the Tooele power line fight in its March 1, 2010, edition. If you would like to read the full story, here is the link:
The article quotes Dave Eskelson stating that "The main reason for this alignment is for the general growth of electrical service to Salt Lake and Tooele counties." This would lead one to believe that Tooele is getting power from these proposed lines which is FAR FROM THE TRUTH. The proposed transmission lines are not for power to Tooele, and the power on the lines is so "hot" that it could not be used here until another substation was constructed to "step-down" the voltage for consumer use.
The transmission lines are more like a freeway for the electricity, with no exits. The lines will only take the power in to Salt Lake County for use and the power will not be available here. Tooele County is being asked to bear all of the negative aspects of the proposed lines without any of the benefits in Rocky Mountain Power's proposal. The route proposed by the local governments and the citizen groups places the lines in a place where they could potentially provide power to areas in the county at some time in the future. The proposed lines cannot.
The article does point out that Commissioner Clegg had not heard anyone for RMP's proposal. She also stated, "I've never seen unification like this. It's unprecedented." Kudos to the Tooele County governments and citizens for unifying their voices to encourage responsible alignment of power lines in the County!
The article quotes Dave Eskelson stating that "The main reason for this alignment is for the general growth of electrical service to Salt Lake and Tooele counties." This would lead one to believe that Tooele is getting power from these proposed lines which is FAR FROM THE TRUTH. The proposed transmission lines are not for power to Tooele, and the power on the lines is so "hot" that it could not be used here until another substation was constructed to "step-down" the voltage for consumer use.
The transmission lines are more like a freeway for the electricity, with no exits. The lines will only take the power in to Salt Lake County for use and the power will not be available here. Tooele County is being asked to bear all of the negative aspects of the proposed lines without any of the benefits in Rocky Mountain Power's proposal. The route proposed by the local governments and the citizen groups places the lines in a place where they could potentially provide power to areas in the county at some time in the future. The proposed lines cannot.
The article does point out that Commissioner Clegg had not heard anyone for RMP's proposal. She also stated, "I've never seen unification like this. It's unprecedented." Kudos to the Tooele County governments and citizens for unifying their voices to encourage responsible alignment of power lines in the County!
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