Bristol opposes ATC route that would threaten trees

The two routes now under consideration by ATC for Spring Valley-North Lake Geneva Electric Reliability Project.

The Bristol Village Board passed a resolution opposing one of the routes proposed by American Transmission Company for a 138 kilowatt power transmission line from a substation in Salem to a substation in Lake Geneva.

Board members are concerned that the route (in pink on this map) would threaten “heritage trees” along 216th Avenue along the Salem-Bristol border.

Some of the trees may be over 100 years old, said village President Mike Farrell.

Bristol became a designated Tree City USA in April 2013.

Trustee John McCabe suggested that the board go further and not just oppose the route that includes 216th Avenue but endorse the other proposed route, which starts out west from the Spring Valley Substation and does not reach Bristol, or offer some other alternative.

But other board members said they did not want to endorse an alternative or the other route, just state the objection to the 216th Avenue impact.

The resolution to oppose the route passed unanimously, with Trustee Carolyn Owens absent but excused.

The 138-kilowatt line is being proposed by American Transmission Company to connect the Spring Valley Substation in Salem to a substation in Lake Geneva. Last week, ATC hosted an open house in New Munster and another in Lake Geneva to unveil the most recent two route proposals and gather public opinion.

The next step for the project is environmental field study by ATC, scheduled to take place this spring, followed by submission of an application to the PSC in spring of 2015.