Residents question Oncor
Posted On: Tuesday, Jul. 7 2009 05:41 AM
By Jade Ortego
Killeen Daily HeraldResidents of Bell, Burnet and Lampasas counties left with some uncertainty as to the future of their land after another meeting conducted by Oncor Electric Delivery representatives Monday.
The meeting, conducted at Central Texas Food and Supply in Killeen, discussed the impact that electrical towers would have on suburban and rural areas. The location of the 20-mile route has not been decided, but there are two proposed routes that skirt either the north or the south of the Lampasas River.
Autry Warren, director of regulatory affairs at Oncor, said that several potential routes will be presented to the Public Utilities Commission in late September to mid-October, and the routes are tentative until then.
"Some segments of routes may be altered or dropped entirely. There are a host of things we try to avoid and mitigate," Warren said.
After the potential routes are chosen, residents who live or own property with 500 feet of any route will get another notification in the mail and might petition the PUC with a lawyer to prevent Oncor from building the power lines over their land. Oncor will build on whatever route is chosen by the PUC.
Bell County Commissioner John Fisher is suggesting a new route that would run around Fort Hood and into Parrie Haynes Ranch. He presented the company with a stack of questionnaires and letters that request the Fort Hood route. That area would be preferable due to existing easements to its higher level of industrialization.
Warren said that he could not be sure that the Fort Hood route would be presented, but said that all data would be considered in choosing potential routes. He encouraged the residents to contact Oncor with specific information about their land that would make it unfit for towers, such as the presence of private cemeteries, historic landmarks, endangered species, etc.
Landowners will be compensated for the use of their land after its value is assessed by someone hired by Oncor. Warren said he was not sure how the towers would affect property taxes. The towers can legally be built within 80 feet of a home, Warren said.
Many landowners expressed concern about the effect the bulldozing to accommodate the 12- to 15-story towers would have on the river or wildlife on their property.
Some also worry it would damage their land value or affect livelihood, sometimes hinging on the undisturbed nature of their land.
One of the routes would split Deborah Kahil's property, which lies in Bell, Burnet and Lampasas counties. She owns a white tail deer hunting operation, and the route cuts across the only wooded section of her land.
"(The lines) would eliminate fair chase of our white tail deer, which would totally ruin what we do out there. That's our retirement," Kahil said.
Kahil also said that she has golden-cheeked warblers, an endangered species of bird, on her property.
Oncor senior communications specialist Catherine Cuellar said she was pleased with the turnout and the amount of input.
"Of course, at this early stage in the process, there are no final answers. All the feedback that we got will be included in our proposal so that state officials can make the best decision possible," Cuellar said.
To contact Oncor about land lying on a proposed power line, contact Manuel Flores at (214) 486-7341. To learn more about the proposed routes, go to
www.maxdaledingdong.com and www.savethelampasas.org.
Contact Jade Ortego at
jortego@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7553.