Wind energy transmission lines a worry to some

Some local residents have concerns about proposed transmission line routes that will stretch 2,900 miles in West Central Texas and transfer power from area wind farms to metropolitan cities.

The lines will stretch from Snyder to Nolan, Taylor and Brown counties and then to south of Temple.

Some residents who live along one of the proposed paths are concerned about how the power lines will affect the appearance of their natural landscape. Some also are concerned about the preservation of historical sites in the area.

Oncor Electric Delivery is one of 13 entities that will be part of this transmission line project, as 850 miles of the project falls in their coverage area. Company officials held area public meetings recently to explain the project. They said feedback was important for them, and they would take that under consideration in choosing routes for the lines.

Don Russom, chief of the Mulberry Canyon Volunteer Fire Department,attended a meeting in Sweetwater. He said officials at the meeting were unable to give him any clear answers to his questions.

"They did not put my mind at ease," he said.

Russom, who owns a ranch inMulberry Canyon southwest of Merkel, said the lines would go over his property based on the map Oncor distributed. "This ranch is all I've got, and I don't want it defaced by steel towers," he said.

Although the lines would not go near his residence, he said there were many others near him who would be affected in that way.

Russom added that he thought the area landowners should get together and "get some answers." He also said he hopes that area representatives in government will also get involved.

The transmission lines were a topic of discussion at the Thursday night Taylor County Historical Commission meeting.

Larry Sanders, the commission's vice chairman, said preserving historical sites is the group's main objective.

"We understand the essentialness of this project. It is not our intent to create a barrier to progress," Sanders said.

However, he stressed that they want to make people aware of historical sites in the area and bring to light the "sensitivity of historical preservation."

One site the commission is interested in preserving is the old Butterfield stage coach route. Sanders said the commission does not know exactly where the lines will cross over, but determined by looking at the Oncor map that the lines could cross over the site at several points.

He further explained that these lines would be suspended over portions of land instead of following a road like other electric lines.

Sanders also said there are other historical sites in the area that could be affected, and some have historical markers.

He said it was the hope of the historical commission that the entities involved in constructing the transmission lines would take under consideration how the use of heavy equipment and transitioning the property will affect historical sites.

Sanders pointed out that a formal survey has not been conducted of the site of the Butterfield route, but that might be something they consider undertaking in the near future to preserve that site.

"We just want to make sure no historical property is compromised," he said.