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Resident urges Brookings County to adopt 2,000-foot setback for proposed 765 kV towers
Summary
Sue Engleman told the commission she wants a county setback that would require transmission towers above 345 kV to be 2,000 feet from inhabited residences and described environmental and health concerns about the proposed Power on Midwest 765 kV line.
Sue Engleman, who identified herself at the meeting as a Brookings County resident and electronics engineering technician, spoke during public comment against a proposed 765 kilovolt transmission line route through the county and asked commissioners to adopt the dual-county zoning setback of 2,000 feet from inhabited residences for lines above 345 kV.
Engleman outlined technical and health concerns she associated with very-high-voltage lines, described the size and expected right-of-way for 765 kV towers and noted that project materials indicated an in-service date of about 2034. She said Power on Midwest representatives told her they have not yet identified replacement-generation plans for Big Stone Power Plant, which the speaker noted is slated for retirement in the 2040s.
"I'm asking the Brookings County commissioners to match the dual county zoning setback requiring that transmission lines with voltage greater than 345 kilovolts must have setback of 2,000 feet from any inhabited residents," she said. Commissioners later discussed creating a subcommittee through planning and zoning to research the towers and return recommendations to the commission.
