Soul took 2 buses to Madison on June 7,  For a listening session at the Capitol and present the governor and the 3 PSC commissioners thousands of "Will not grant an easement form"

Tom Kreager addresses the crowd at the Legislative Listening session.

Group at the PSC before presenting the attending the meeting.

United We Stand Rally
June 7, 2001

By Linda Ceylor <cen20773@centuryinter.net>

Two busloads and numerous cars traveled from Northern Wisconsin to Madison to meet with legislators at the Capitol, and attend a weekly open meeting with the Commissioners at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. There were more than 100 people attending.  First stop on the rally was the State Capitol, for a Legislative Listening Session. Legislators attended the session, information was left with those that were unable to attend.  Legislators from eastern Wisconsin, Racine and Milwaukee indicated they had concerns with this project, and the potential  environmental harm that will be caused in some of the most beautiful and fragile areas of the state. Attorney's Ed Garvey and Pam McGillvary spoke of the "absolute winning record" on all counts at the Public Service Commission. With this record, we have proven, "beyond any reasonable doubt, that once again, this project is unnecessary for the state of Wisconsin."

"With the availability of a low-voltage upgrade, improvements that
have already been made to the infrastructure, addition of more than 1500 MW of electricity to the state with another 7500 proposed for
construction over the course of time it would take to construct
Arrowhead-Weston, there just is no need," stated President Tom Kreager. 

The second stop was the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.  SOUL left over 1000 signed documents from landowners who may be impacted by this project, stating that they would not grant an easement to any utility for this project, and the land would have to be condemned.  The room in which the Commissioners hold their twice weekly open business meetings was filled to capacity and beyond.  While the public may attend these meetings, there are no oral comments heard from anyone other than the commissioners at this meeting.  

Sandy Lyon of Stone Lake presented the PSC Commissioners with a fresh bouquet of lilacs. The lilacs, which had long since faded from bloom in Madison, were brought down from the north to remind the commissioners that "up north" is a whole different climate. Lyon also presented the governor and the commissioners with a statement from Stone Lake Mennonite farmers saying that they would not sell their land. They said they will force the condemnation of their beautifully well tended farms. The "Arrowhead" line would become very expensive then, both financially and politically. "It won't look good on the 'News at 6,' " Lyon told the governor's office and a representative from a PR firm that had come to the gathering to collect information. "The Governor has been saying that any line through Wisconsin should follow existing Right Of Way. The Governor should know that there is no exisiting Right Of Way through Sawyer County. Therefore, the 'Arrowhead' line is the wrong line at the wrong time and should be rejected." 

For more information on the Mennonite farms see,
www.protecttheearth.com/realvoices.html

See May 22 Press Release About Rally