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SOUL Press Release on the Passage of the Montgomery Bill
SOUL: Blasts Complicity of Legislature and Governor in Passing Bill That Erodes Local Government Control and Use of Eminent Domain in Protecting Public Lands. 7/22/2005
Contact:
Linda Ceylor, 715-474-2271 or
Richard Wentzel, 715-687-4391
Governor Doyle on Thursday signed AB 437 into law. AB 437 essentially strips counties and towns of local control when it comes to protecting fishing, hunting, and forest areas from the fragmentation and wetlands impacts of large transmission line corridors. Lobbyists designed the law for legislators to keep Douglas County from protecting its county lands and blocking the condemnation of private landowners throughout the 230 mile Arrowhead-Weston transmission line corridor.
"Although touted as a bill to diminish local control over transmission line siting, the bill's ultimate result will be the takings of thousands of acres of private property," said Linda Ceylor, Vice President of SOUL.
Richard Wentzel, long time SOUL Board member pointed out that, "The governor and the co-authors of AB 437, Senator Jeff Plale and Representative Phil Montgomery carefully danced around the fact that the effect of the bill is the same as the recent controversial decision rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court - more private property takings. What’s the use of trying to preserve private or public land for posterity? This law forbids the county from objecting if a utility desires the land for a line corridor and private individuals have no ability to contest corporate utility takings.
"Considering the amount of money-ridden foreplay that went into this special interest legislation for the American Transmission Company (ATC), the climax was not surprising," said Wentzel. Governor Doyle alone received more than $14,000 from ATC from its creation in 1999 through the end of 2004.
SOUL will continue to assist farmers and homeowners as the battle for better energy policy continues.
SOUL is a grassroots organization, whose mission is to promote efficient and orderly management of power, based on the needs of Wisconsin, while protecting the natural, social and economic environments and citizens of Wisconsin.
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