Land donation could allow power lines to be buried near school

MILWAUKEE -- Representatives from Milwaukee Montessori School and Parkside Pool Apartments announced plans Thursday, May 10th to donate a strip of land which could allow American Transmission Company (ATC) to bury its proposed 138,000-volt transmission lines there instead of stringing them overhead.

Milwaukee Montessori School is in the proposed path of the power lines. ATC was hired by We Energies to develop and build two high-voltage lines to upgrade and increase its current service. Overhead lines towering 60 to 80 feet above ground are least expensive. Underground lines could be more expensive.

Staff, parents and children at Milwaukee Montessori School have been working hard to get the lines buried for safety reasons.

The school, apartments and neighbors are encouraging citizens to send letters to the PSC to support Thursday’s announced land easement donation and encourage the PSC to modify ATC’s recommendation in favor of a more direct and less expensive route with buried lines.

More information and links to the PSC can be found at burythelines.org.

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