When resident Jeremy Chipps began asking his neighbors about a proposed power line project, their answers surprised him.

None of them had heard anything about it. As he learned more about the project, his concerns grew. He especially wondered whether building a line to transport energy from a coal-fired plant spewing greenhouse gases makes sense -- especially in such a beautiful area.

"I would really hate to see our children and grandchildren burdened by our folly of putting in an antiquated system that may anchor them to ever-growing costs and a worsening environment," Chipps said.

So he began knocking on doors in his hometown of 5,000, gathering more than 150 signatures. He also asked the La Crescent City Council to pass a resolution opposing the power line project, known as CapX2020. He's also trying to get the state's Public Utilities Commission to have a public hearing in La Crescent.

A group of utilities, including Rochester Public Utilities and Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, has proposed the 345-kilovolt transmission line that would run from Brookings, S.D., to La Cross, Wis., via Rochester. The project is estimated to cost between $1.3 to $1.6 billion.

The need

Utility representatives say the new line is needed to handle the growing demand for electricity in the region -- especially in Rochester. Grant Stevenson, CapX2020s senior project manager, said the transmission line will also play an important role in meeting the state's new renewable energy guidelines. By 2025, 25 percent of a utility's energy must come from sources like wind and solar power. The line would also serve as a critical backup in case an existing power line is damaged.

Choosing a route

A major issue has become just where the transmission line would end up crossing the Mississippi River. The CapX2020 project has three possible routes for the crossing -- at Alma, Wis., Winona or La Crescent. These routes were chosen because they already have power lines, making it less disruptive to add the new line.

Stevenson said that before a route is chosen, it will be analyzed to make sure the transmission line has as little effect as possible.

The utilities did not send out notices to people living in La Crescent because the utilities don't plan to run the transmission line run through the city, Stevenson said.

"We won't propose, nor would we support, putting a power line through those kind of dense (population) areas," Stevenson said.

Public comment

He said more public hearings will be scheduled when a route is selected, giving people more opportunities to voice their opinions.

Even so, residents remain worried. State Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-La Crescent, hosted a community forum last week featuring a panel of environmentalists.

Tschumper and others question whether the project's estimates of demand are accurate. He also is concerned that ratepayers could end up financing a project that could harm the area's environment. Other worries include possible health effects and what the potentially 150-foot-high transmission towers would do to the region's scenery.

"There are decisions being made here with this high-voltage transmission line ... that are going to impact people's lives for the next 30 or 40 years," Tschumper said.