Oncor line foes enlist attorneys Posted On: Friday, Nov. 13 2009 05:15 AM By Jade Ortego
Killeen Daily Herald

AUSTIN – Opponents of the Newton-Killeen transmission line – including members of the group Save the Lampasas River Inc. – have hired legal counsel to represent them at upcoming hearings before the Public Utilities Commission in Austin.

Thursday, Oncor Electric Delivery conducted a technical conference to answer questions from rural landowners in Bell and Burnet counties who have problems with the company's preferred electric tower route.

Since Oncor announced the plan in June, residents have expressed concern about several issues including the detrimental effects of electromagnetic fields, the damage bulldozing will do to the Lampasas River, the proximity of the lines to homes, the erosion of aesthetic and monetary value of rural land and potential harm to wildlife.

Every resident who owns habitable structures within 500 feet of a proposed route was notified by mail over the summer.

On Oct. 7, Oncor announced its preferred route and 39 alternates, all which begin at an existing Killeen switching station and end at a new station in Newton.

About 50 percent of the time, the PUC chooses Oncor's preferred route, said Autry Warren, the senior director of transmission and municipal relations for Oncor.

The transmission plan is a result of Senate Bill 20 passed by the Texas Legislature in 2005, which reads, in part: "The commission shall require an electric utility or a transmission and distribution utility to construct or enlarge transmission or transmission-related facilities for the purpose of meeting the goal for generating capacity from renewable energy technologies."

The project will cost an estimated $57 million.

Oncor has suggested armed lattice structures, roughly 12 stories high, requiring 120 feet clear-cut easements, but some affected residents prefer more expensive "monopole" structures, which resemble tall flagpoles.

The PUC may decide to build monopoles for all or part of the route, and can choose any of the 40 routes presented.

The only residents who will be allowed to speak before the PUC and the administrative judges are those who have applied to be "interveners."

About 185 applied to be interveners; the deadline to apply has passed, Oncor senior communications specialist Catherine Cuellar said.

PUC officials asked that residents not contact the PUC or administrative judges personally with their problems with the route. All complaints must be made in writing and be put on record for review by the judges and other interveners.

"It's a legal proceeding. We have to make sure they all have every advantage everybody else does," Cuellar said. Wednesday at 10 a.m., Oncor and the PUC will hold a pre-hearing conference at the Hilton Convention Center on Fourth Street in Austin, where they will set dates for hearings.

Save the Lampasas River Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed in June, shortly after Oncor sent out notices about the Newton-Killeen project.

The group opposes the placement of the transmission line because of the damage bulldozing could do to the ecosystem of the Lampasas River valley, including the habitats of endangered species such as the bald eagle and Guadalupe bass.

The organization hired Austin attorney Catherine J. Webking and Houston attorney Mary Carter.

"We feel like the river valley needs to be protected, as well as the individual property," Webking said.

The interveners' testimonies are due Dec. 11.

Contact Jade Ortego at jortego@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7553.