And I don't mean transmission opponents. They've been awake forever. They never sleep. I'm talking about the "clean energy" cheerleaders who love new transmission "for clean energy" simply because it is NOT IN MY BACK YARD. We know that these people would feel differently if it were. Case in point -- Howard Learner and the Environmental Law and Policy Center, who thought "clean line" transmission in someone else's back yard was a fabulous idea... until one of the lines got proposed for his back yard. Howard has since woken up and doesn't think this is a such a great idea anymore. Woke Howard has gone on to do great things, such as the recent injunction to stop construction of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line in Wisconsin. Way to go, Howard!
The powers that be and the mainstream media have just woken up to the fact that transmission opponents have the upper hand over new energy policy designed to build more "clean" transmission because every community targeted with a new overhead transmission line on new rights-of-way will oppose the project. Every.Last.One. And, as this article points out, opposition methods are getting really creative and... *gasp* transmission opposition is winning!
As this country stupidly plows ahead trying to construct enough new transmission to "circle the Earth about 10 times" it's going to wake a whole bunch more people by dropping a transmission line in the places they hold dear. Mass will slowly build until trillions of dollars are wasted trying to build projects that are ultimately stopped by their opponents. Is this really the path forward?
One company is proposing new "clean" transmission that will be buried on existing rights-of-way for its entire length. This project has not attracted the expensive, time-consuming opposition that kills projects. Its effect on landowners would be short and minimal. Landowners have been offered the equivalent of "good neighbor" payments to accept the project. And for the vast majority, that's good enough. It does not obstruct the use of their land, and it doesn't create a perpetual visual burden.
Other projects that don't cause project-killing opposition include rebuilds of transmission on existing rights-of-way, even when above ground. Simply changing out one existing transmission line for another doesn't bother people as much as a new right-of-way across their property.
What if we designed new transmission to modern standards so that it did not bother landowners and incite opposition? We'd save a lot of money, for starters. Although the buried on existing rights-of-way transmission can be more expensive at the outset, it quickly balances out because it does not require hugely expensive outlays to fight opposition. For instance, the Maine referendum that finally woke up Forbes cost nearly $100M, and the project still faces additional costs to continue to try to fight off the opposition that has killed it. It is likely to be cancelled anyhow, and at great expense. Stupid, stupid, stupid! We would also save time because buried transmission doesn't face delays caused by opposition.
It's time to hit pause on this idiotic idea to pass new laws meant to thwart opposition to new transmission. The new laws won't work. Not by any stretch. Opposition will just find new ways to kill transmission projects that they don't want. Giving up is never an option for transmission opposition. The battle just gets more creative.
Big government can never silence the people, no matter how hard it tries. We always win. Deal with it, little NIMBYs.
The powers that be and the mainstream media have just woken up to the fact that transmission opponents have the upper hand over new energy policy designed to build more "clean" transmission because every community targeted with a new overhead transmission line on new rights-of-way will oppose the project. Every.Last.One. And, as this article points out, opposition methods are getting really creative and... *gasp* transmission opposition is winning!
As this country stupidly plows ahead trying to construct enough new transmission to "circle the Earth about 10 times" it's going to wake a whole bunch more people by dropping a transmission line in the places they hold dear. Mass will slowly build until trillions of dollars are wasted trying to build projects that are ultimately stopped by their opponents. Is this really the path forward?
One company is proposing new "clean" transmission that will be buried on existing rights-of-way for its entire length. This project has not attracted the expensive, time-consuming opposition that kills projects. Its effect on landowners would be short and minimal. Landowners have been offered the equivalent of "good neighbor" payments to accept the project. And for the vast majority, that's good enough. It does not obstruct the use of their land, and it doesn't create a perpetual visual burden.
Other projects that don't cause project-killing opposition include rebuilds of transmission on existing rights-of-way, even when above ground. Simply changing out one existing transmission line for another doesn't bother people as much as a new right-of-way across their property.
What if we designed new transmission to modern standards so that it did not bother landowners and incite opposition? We'd save a lot of money, for starters. Although the buried on existing rights-of-way transmission can be more expensive at the outset, it quickly balances out because it does not require hugely expensive outlays to fight opposition. For instance, the Maine referendum that finally woke up Forbes cost nearly $100M, and the project still faces additional costs to continue to try to fight off the opposition that has killed it. It is likely to be cancelled anyhow, and at great expense. Stupid, stupid, stupid! We would also save time because buried transmission doesn't face delays caused by opposition.
It's time to hit pause on this idiotic idea to pass new laws meant to thwart opposition to new transmission. The new laws won't work. Not by any stretch. Opposition will just find new ways to kill transmission projects that they don't want. Giving up is never an option for transmission opposition. The battle just gets more creative.
Big government can never silence the people, no matter how hard it tries. We always win. Deal with it, little NIMBYs.
RSS Feed