We are the Driftless Defenders

We OPPOSE the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line

Critical Court Date

Your presence in Dane County Circuit Court on Thursday afternoon ranks right up there in importance with attending the PSC Public Hearings three years ago.  Remember how we showed up in droves?  Well, this is our last hurrah–our big opportunity to do it again but this time pack a courtroom.  In his legal opinions, Judge Frost has been very much attuned to and impressed by the high level of public involvement with CHC.  Our presence will show him we have not wavered in our strong commitment to stop Cardinal-Hickory Creek.
That said, if you cannot attend in person, it’s important that you do second best and “attend” online.
Dane County Circuit Court
215 S. Hamilton St, Madison
Thursday, October 13, 2022  2:00-5:00 
 
Oral Arguments
Judge Jacob Frost
Case #2019CV003418 
County of Dane et al vs. Public Service Commission of Wisconsin et al
 
In person (very important):  Courtroom 6B, 6th floor, Branch 9
Online (second best way to attend):  
Scroll to Dane County and Select Branch 9
This lawsuit is about the merits of the PSC decision to approve CHC, i.e., did they fairly and correctly apply the law.
Earlier in this case Judge Frost supported opponents in two ways:  
(1)  He granted an injunction that would prevent construction of CHC until final court decision was made. He was required by law to post a bond, which opponents could not afford, so the injunction could not be put into effect.  
(2)  He allowed information to be presented about the alleged bias of former PSC Commissioner Michael Huebsch.  
Huebsch refused to subpoenaed, appealed to the WI Supreme Court, and they ruled in his favor.  
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The US Court of Appeals in Chicago learned that the public is indeed watching CHC, thanks to the 117 people who viewed online and the 6 people who attended court in person.
   
Here is a one hour recording if you were not able to attend. 
A panel of three judges heard one hour of oral arguments regarding the developers’ and federal agencies’ appeal to federal Judge Conley’s ruling that CHC cannot cross the Mississippi River through the National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  Without this crossing CHC would be a “line to nowhere” since the WI and IA portions could not be connected.  A final decision is expected in 3-6 months.

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Let Your Voice be Heard!

Federal Judge William Conley’s recent ruling BLOCKED CONSTRUCTION of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  Moreover, 114 federally-protected wetlands are temporarily OFF LIMITS under a temporary injunction.  Nevertheless, American Transmission Company, ITC Midwest, and Dairyland Power Cooperative continue to destroy and cause irreparable harm to the landscape of the Driftless Area.   It’s time they stop this senseless destruction and waste of ratepayers’ money!

You Can Help! 

Please take a few minutes to

Call or Email Your Legislators and Governor

Tell Them:

  • Judge Conley’s  ruling makes it clear that completion of CHC is not inevitable. 
  • By continuing to build, the developers are not risking THEIR money; they are spending RATEPAYERS’ money – constituents of legislators and the governor pay the bill.
  • The Public Service Commission’s own staff has demonstrated that far less expensive, less environmentally damaging alternatives would deliver the same benefits as CHC.

Ask Them To:

  • Call on the developers to cease this irresponsible construction in the Driftless Area.
  • Publicly call for the transmission companies to pause, step back and reassess.

Legislator and Governor Contact Info.

Wis. State Senators

Jon Erpenbach          Sen. Dist. 27 (West Point/Middleton)     608-266-6670  Sen.Erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov

Howard Marklein         Sen. Dist.  17 (Spring Green)
608-266-0703   Sen.Marklein@legis.wi.gov

Wis. State Assembly Members

Rep. Dianne Hesselbein      Assembly Dis. 79 (Middleton)    608-266-5340 Rep.Hesselbein@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Todd Novak        Assembly Dist. 51 (Dodgeville)               608-266-7502 Rep.Novak@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Sondy Pope        Assembly Dist. 80 (Mt. Horeb)               608-266-3520 Rep.Pope@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Kelda Roys        Sen. Dist. 26 (Madison)
608-266-1627 Sen.Roys@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Travis Tranel    Assembly Dist. 49 (Cuba City)                 608-266-1170 Rep.Tranel@legis.wisconsin.gov

U.S. Representatives

Congressman Ron Kind             Wis. 3rd Dist.
608-782-2558       https://kind.house.gov/contact/email

Congressman Mark Pocan         Wis. 2nd Dist.
608-258-9800   https://pocan.house.gov/contact

U.S. Senators

Senator Tammy Baldwin       608-264-5338

https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact/contact-tammy

Senator Ron Johnson             920-230-7250

https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/email-the-senator

Governor Tony Evers

Gov. Tony Evers            608-266-1212               https://evers.wi.gov/pages/connect.aspx

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January 14, 2022:  Judge William Conley has ruled in our favor in the lawsuit against four federal agencies regarding the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife & Fish Refuge.
Judge Conley blocked the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line under construction in Iowa and Wisconsin from crossing the Mississippi River after finding the government’s environmental review was inadequate.  Judge William Conley’s ruling throws the fate of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line into question just months after utilities began construction on the $492 million project.  Conley sided with four conservation groups that sued two federal agencies over approvals of the contentious 102-mile line between Dubuque and Middleton.  Howard Learner, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, called the ruling “a tremendous win” for conservation groups that have been fighting the line for years.
We owe a great deal of thanks to Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife Refuge Association, and Defenders of Wildlife for initiating this lawsuit.  And words cannot express the thanks and admiration that need to go to Howard Learner and his team at the Environmental Law and Policy Center for their never-ending hard work and determination to stop Cardinal-Hickory Creek.

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Much to our dismay, on Thursday, September 26, 2019, all three Public Service Commissioners gave their final approval for Cardinal-Hickory Creek.  The decision is being appealed in Federal and State court by Driftless Area Land Conservancy and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, represented by attorney Howard Learner, Executive Director of Environmental Law and Policy Center.  The decision is also being appealed by the Dane County Board, the Iowa County Board, and two municipalities.  More information can be found HERE.

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Please sign our petition

Help stop CHC from being built through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  Sign our petition that supports the Federal lawsuits trying to stop CHC.  This is the clearcutting already done in Iowa as ITC approaches the Mississippi River.  Please post on social media and ask your friends to sign, too.  Every signature helps!
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Driftless Defenders focuses on stopping Cardinal-Hickory Creek.  At the same time, we want to alert you to a number of industrial size wind and solar farms being proposed for the Driftless Area in Southwest Wisconsin. To begin, if you are interested in learning more about the proposed Uplands Wind Farm and their massive wind turbines visit no-uplands.com.  If you have questions or want to join the opposition to this project contact info@SOULWisconsin.org.

 

 

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If CHC will cross your property, we have posted information about Right-of-Ways & Easements on our PSC UPDATES page HERE

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American Transmission Company (ATC), ITC Midwest, and Dairyland Power Co-op propose to build massive steel towers and 345 kilovolt transmission lines through 125 miles of our rural towns and scenic countryside. Their project, called “Cardinal-Hickory Creek” (CHC), will not provide for the greater good of the public; rather it is designed to make money for ATC, a private corporation, and its shareholders. They are guaranteed a 10.2% rate of return simply for “putting steel in the ground.”  There are better, less expensive alternatives for meeting our energy demand.  Watch our video and read below to understand our reasons for opposition.  To see where the CHC line will be built, view the interactive route map.

Driftless Defenders is a grassroots coalition of citizens dedicated to preventing the construction of high voltage transmission lines through the geologically unique Driftless Area of Wisconsin.

 

For ongoing ways to help Driftless Defenders maintain public pressure and keep the CHC issue in the public eye, visit our Get Involved page.

Why we oppose the transmission lines:

Not Needed and Outmoded

  • Demand for electricity has been flat or declining in Wisconsin and adjacent states.
  • Wisconsin ranks in top ten states for grid reliability.
  • Our energy needs can be better met with locally-produced, cost-effective, and up-to-date 21st century alternatives that do not require massive and obtrusive transmission lines.

Exorbitant Cost — Paid by Us

  • Construction alone is estimated at $500-$700 million. Other expenses raise cost to over $1 billion.
  • For 40 years we will be forced to pay for this project on our electric bills, which already are among the highest in the Midwest.
  • Meanwhile, ATC investors will receive a 10.2% guaranteed annual rate of return!

Serious Economic Impact

  • Tourism businesses will suffer when the area loses its scenic appeal.
  • Real estate values will drop by as much as 40% on and near the routes of the transmission lines.
  • Property will be difficult to sell.
  • Farm operations will be compromised.

Destruction of Our Environment

  • The scenic beauty and serenity of our unique Driftless landscape and the character of our rural area will be radically and permanently altered by the presence of massive, industrial-style steel towers with their buzzing and popping wires.
  • Native plants and wildlife will be impacted.
  • Clear cutting and herbicide treatments will be used regularly to maintain a corridor under the lines measuring 150 feet wide by 125 miles long.

More About Us

Driftless Defenders is a non-partisan, all volunteer group. It began with five friends living in Dodgeville Township. Everyone along the proposed route received a letter from ATC informing them of the CHC proposal to build 170-ft tall high-voltage transmission towers across the Driftless region from Dubuque, Iowa to Middleton, Wisconsin (125 miles) via towns, farmland, nature conservancy, prairie restoration, and woodlands. These five residents sent an invitation to their neighbors to meet and discuss the situation.

To their surprise, more than 70 people from four townships gathered in a neighbor’s barn to discuss the transmission line, its economic and environmental implications, and what they could do to stop it. We named ourselves the Driftless Defenders.

From that first meeting we have grown from a tiny grassroots organization to one that reaches thousands of people dedicated to preserving the unique Driftless area and opposing the construction of unnecessary transmission lines.

Farmers, landowners, business owners, conservationists, tourists, and many others living and visiting the Driftless region, understand quite well that the construction of this high-voltage line will permanently mar a landscape that supports a thriving rural sector and a broad range of protected and endangered plant and animal species. Driftless Defenders is helping to spread the word that there is no demonstrated need for this high-capacity transmission line. There is no justification for the negative impact such a line would have on rural development, tourism, local property values, taxes, electric bills, and the environment.

Driftless Defenders is a strong proponent of meeting the energy demands of Wisconsin and its adjoining states through improvements in energy efficiency, conservation, non-transmission alternatives, and local renewables.

NOTE:  Driftless Defenders is a 501(c) (4) non-profit organization.  Donations to us are not tax exempt.

If you wish to donate to support this fight please go to our donation page.