SOUL asks for your help

As an all volunteer organization, we need not only financial help…we need folks like yourselves to give us just an hour or so of your time to the various tasks below.  Sure, you will invest a bit of time at your computer, paper and postage, but adding your name to an opinion voiced makes our case just one stronger.  SOUL is composed of nothing but everyday heroes just like you!  Ready?  When you leave this meeting, please make a spring resolution to get these tasks done!

While we have placed them in an order, certainly you may prioritize and work them through in the order that suits you.  But we need your help and your commitment.     

1. Express your thanks to the Douglas County Board members who recently voted not to negotiate with the American Transmission Company.  These supervisors have received pressure from as far away as Madison, yet they continue to support the folks who elected them in this decision (hard to believe a government body who really works for the people)!  By doing this they have raised the bar as far as setting an example for others to follow.
2. Take the time to send a letter to the members of the Washburn County Board. Although their “power line committee” has voted to negotiate with the American Transmission Company, no deals have yet been made.  Let them know they can break off negotiations, or keep the item tabled until, at the least their neighboring county, Douglas has the route decision made.
3. Write letters to the Rusk, Sawyer, and Taylor County Supervisors.  All of these counties have a resolution against the transmission line.  Remind them that they need to enforce this resolution by standing behind the other counties (Douglas at this point) who are not allowing use of county land, and may go to court over this issue.  Funding, amicus briefs by supportive counties, and any other support these counties can offer.
4. Your final writing assignment to be a letter to the editor, expressing your views on this transmission line project.  The main challenge here is not to worry about whether you have written a perfect essay, just state your thoughts in about 250 words.  These are your unique opinion thoughts, and we need them to be out there.  After all, the ATC bombards the airways with their $3 million dollar campaign.  Readers will know it is not a done deal, because you will keep them informed, weekly.

Talking points, ideas to get you started:

ü      Even the recent Governor’s task force supports renewable energy for the state, this is a dinosaur.  Renewable resources in the north could set a model for the state, add jobs, and make us a leader.  This line does not.

ü      ATC does not have the ability to condemn your land, how many utilities have been formed by a budget bill?

ü      Mention repeated violations of landowners, Minnesota sets an example, and Marathon county residents were not treated as the courts promised.  Environmentally, bore holes have been left open for over two years in Douglas County. 

ü      Remind everyone that there is no hurry or victory.  National Park Service will wait for Douglas and Washburn decisions, Corps still not issued permit, DNR contested case hearing, ATC back at the PSC and Douglas County Circuit Court for a reroute.

ü      Several of the counties and towns the line passes through are the same counties that have increased equalized values at a rate substantially higher than other areas of the state.  Everyone needs to know that devaluation has already occurred through disclosure that land sold is on a transmission line route.  Land values on lakes will decrease, and other area residents, already subject to tax burdens will feel the increase as the load shifts.  No one on or off of this line wins in this situation. 

ü      What about an energy policy for Wisconsin?  The state has no idea what it does or does not need as current planning only covers what utilities propose to build, not how the need fits the state. 

 COUNTY BOARD CONTACTS:  Douglas County:  http://www.douglascountywi.org/countyboard/boardofsupervisors/boardofsupervisors.htm

  Washburn County:

http://www.co.washburn.wi.us/boardsupervisors/list.htm

 Rusk County:

http://www.ruskcounty.org/localgovernment/board.asp

Sawyer County:

http://sawyercountygov.org/#

  LETTERS TO THE EDITOR--E-MAIL ADDRESSES