Residents urge Sheridan County to press MDU to bury proposed transmission line, not reroute it

Carmine Locadisi, a resident of the Little Goose subdivision, told the Sheridan County commissioners on Aug. 25 that he supports MDU’s plan to build a looped transmission line to increase reliability but asked the commission to limit its comments to urging the utility to bury the line rather than support relocating it onto county roads.

"I would ask that the commission only comment on bearing of the line and refrain on supporting or moving the line down to the county road system," Locadisi said, recounting that the idea of alternate routing only surfaced after an earlier Aug. 5 meeting and warning that moving the line would "take their problem and move it down to somebody else." He said easements on county right‑of‑way would require landowners to lose about 20 feet of property for a 50‑foot transmission easement.

Ron (Ronald) Gersolka, representing the Medallurg Meadows subdivision, urged commissioners to consider residents’ covenants and viewsheds and to "look out for" constituents who oppose overhead lines. Gersolka said some subdivisions have homeowner association covenants that prohibit overhead transmission facilities and that moving an overhead line would harm property values and scenic views.

Speakers noted MDU has scheduled a public meeting on Sept. 4 and that residents had previously asked the utility to bury the line on the Shunk property. Commissioners and staff acknowledged they have no direct regulatory authority over MDU but said the county can use its voice at public meetings and in correspondence with the utility and the Public Service Commission.

The discussion did not include a formal motion by the board on the transmission routing; residents were primarily asking the commissioners to limit any official statement to support for burial rather than endorsing alternate, aboveground routes.