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Farmers and commissioners press Encore on livestock safety, groundwater, wildlife permits and emergency response for proposed 765 kV line
Summary
Farmers and county officials at an Erath-area meeting asked Encore whether the 765 kV project could harm livestock, irrigation and groundwater, whether the company has adjusted federal species permits, and requested commitments on first-responder training and construction coordination; Encore said detailed, property-level mitigation and permit compliance will follow route approval.
Farmers, volunteer fire chiefs and county commissioners used a public meeting in Erath-area counties to press Encore and commission members for concrete plans to protect livestock, irrigation infrastructure, groundwater wells and listed species as the company pursues a proposed 765 kV transmission project.
"People do it every day," an Encore representative said of farming operations beneath transmission lines, arguing decades of operational experience with 345 kV facilities inform mitigation for the 765 kV project and that the company does not anticipate different interference effects. Several farmers asked specifically whether Encore had assessed potential interference with RFID ear-tag systems, stress effects on dairy cattle, and whether veterinarians or animal-science specialists had been consulted; Encore said the project’s expert witness referenced studies including animal-work in the record but that the company had not retained agricultural veterinarians for this docket.
Water and wells: Commissioners raised groundwater concerns, noting many private wells predate available aerial records. Encore said hydrology assessments are included in the environmental assessment and that mitigation options include minor route modifications, relocating wells or retiring wells when appropriate. Encore acknowledged that some well locations are difficult to detect from aerial imagery and that detailed site-level work occurs after route approval.
Endangered species and federal permits: Commissioners asked whether Encore had sought to amend an existing 2012 take permit and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to account for species listed in the environmental assessment. Encore said it has met with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will comply with any legal requirements; one commissioner warned that amending an HCP can take 12–24 months and urged transparency about the status of any permit amendments.
Public safety and training: County officials pressed for commitments on training for volunteer fire departments and public advertising of safety procedures for downed lines. Encore said the PUC order often directs safety and outreach steps, that the company will send notices to affected and previously noticed landowners and that project managers will do one-on-one coordination during easement acquisition; Encore also said it will follow up on requests to support broader public-advertising efforts.
What happens next: Encore repeatedly said that many mitigation and coordination steps will be finalized during structure siting and right-of-way acquisition after the PUC selects a route, and that the PUC and other federal agencies (FAA, USFWS) will be involved in clearance, species and construction mitigation decisions. The commission did not take a vote and adjourned after attendees and officials agreed to continue engagement.
