City sues Edison over wind energy lines

CHINO HILLS - The city on Thursday announced it is taking legal action against Southern California Edison in order to prevent tall wind power lines from cutting through the city.

The announcement was made at a press conference and rally held by the city and CARE (Citizens for the Alternate Routing of Electricity) at Crossroads Park to speak out against a high-voltage power line route that is planned to cut through the city. In the shadow of existing power lines overlooking the park, residents held signs as local officials spoke about the concerns.

"The basis of the complaint is that the easements' agreements prohibit Southern California Edison from placing the proposed power lines in the Southern California Edison right-of-way," said Mayor Pro Temp Bill Kruger.

"Under the existing agreements, the proposed power lines are too large and violate the agreements. Plain and simple - we do not believe that Southern California Edison has the legal right to place 198 foot transmission poles within a 150-foot right-of-way. We are suing Southern California Edison to prove this point."

Edison spokesman Steve Conroy said the power company has yet to see the lawsuit and could not comment on the matter until it is reviewed.

Three miles of the five-mile portion proposed through Chino Hills would cut directly through residential neighborhoods and residents said they fear a decline in property values, possible health hazards and the aesthetic eyesore of large power lines near homes.

Chino Hills officials and residents are also outraged and disappointed over an environmental assessment released earlier this month that rejected an alternate city plan to reroute Edison's proposed power transmission line through Chino Hills State Park in order to avoid it passing through the city.

Southern California Edison's Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project plans to bring wind energy from Tehachapi to Los Angeles and its environmental assessment identified Edison's route as having the least environmental impact.

"We are committed to constructing this project in accordance with all the (Public Utility Commission) guidelines to ensure this project meets all the electrical and engineering and environmental requirements when in fact and regardless of what route is chosen that is our commitement on this project," Conroy said on Thursday. "This proposed route is consistant with our commitmnent to build new transmission lines in the same path that other existing transmission lines already occupy."

Ross Fernandes, a former Southern California Edison research and development program manager and a Chino Hills resident, said he's opposed to the Edison plan and hopes the Chino Hills alternate route through the state park will be reconsidered.

"I believe the Chino Hills Park route is economically a better alternative and it's an enviornmentally better alternative becase it eliminates an extra 10 miles of exra 500 kV line," he said. The SoCal Edison route really creates a danger because the towers are going to be twice the height of the existing towers and with heavy wind conditions, those towers could topple and fall on existing residential structures."

A public hearing on the matter will be held at City Hall on March 19. An open public workshop is at 5 p.m. and the hearing is at 6:30 p.m.