And in Wisconsin — public hearings on Badger Coulee, La Crosse to Madison, start the week after next:<\/p>\n
Posted: Friday, November 21, 2014 7:50 pm<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Jeff Kiger, jkiger@postbulletin.com<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n To clear the way for an 11.4-mile segment of new transmission lines, a power utility has started the process of condemning properties stretching from Chester to Oronoco.<\/a><\/p>\n The project is part of CapX2020, a massive plan designed to upgrade the electric transmission system in parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In total, the plan will cost $2.2 billion, cover 800 miles and finish in late 2015.<\/a><\/p>\n CapX2020 has negotiated deals with 43 land owners to build this 161 kV segment to connect Rochester to the main network, according to project spokesperson Tim Carlsgaard. Tree removal work could begin on the those parcels yet this month.<\/a><\/p>\n However, there are 10 remaining properties where the owners have not accepted CapX2020’s offers to buy access to an easement across their land. Capx2020, a joint initiative of 11 electric utilities across four states, filed on Oct. 20 to condemn those properties.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Using a form of Eminent Domain called Quick Take, CapX2020 now can take control of the contested easements within 91 days of the filing, or by Jan. 13. Quick Take allows acquisition to take place before a price is settled.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n A hearing is scheduled in the Olmsted County Court on Jan. 9 to establish a condemnation commission of three independent experts. That commission will hear offers and counter-offers for each property and will then decide what price is fair.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Carlsgaard says CapX will continue to negotiate with the property owners, so they still could reach agreements before the commission is established.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Two property owners that CapX2020 officials are still negotiating with are Kirk Wickersham and John Crosby.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n In 1996, Wickersham built his home and business, Plumbers Service Inc., on 35 acres at 5012 Viola Road N.E. He’s wary of CapX2020’s plan to build three power poles on his land.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n “We’re not very close,” he said of the negotiations. “They’ve tripled the amount from when they started, but we’re still not close.”<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n One pole is expected to be installed about 15 feet from his workshop, which will extend CapX2020’s easement area inside his building. Another pole will be about 60 yards from his house.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Crosby, who owns land at 5014 Silver Creek Road Northeast, says he is still talking to CapX2020 officials about price.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n “When this started, I think they were just throwing offers. Some people grabbed the first offer,” he said.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The project is slated to put two power poles on Crosby’s rural property. One will be in his yard and will require removing two mature walnut trees.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n “The question is how much they are willing to pay to make me happy. We’re getting closer, but I’m not happy yet,” he said.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Heather J. Carlson, hcarlson@postbulletin.com<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n ALMA, Wis. \u00e2\u20ac\u201d On a blustery November morning on an island in the Mississippi River, a construction crew was hard at work using a massive crane and welding equipment to tear down a 70-foot-tall section of lattice tower.<\/a><\/p>\n It was all part of a $30 million effort to string the new CapX2020 transmission lines across the Mississippi River near Alma. The project is a daunting one, requiring the use of barges to transport 3,280 cubic yards of concrete, a 250-ton crane and 6 miles of steel pipe to an island and a peninsula in the river being used for the river crossing. Making that work even more difficult has been the earlier-than-normal cold weather.<\/a><\/p>\n “It’s been cold. We’ve been fighting with the ice, so we’re looking to get done in the next couple of weeks,” Zach Pontzer said on Friday morning.<\/a><\/p>\n Pontzer is the project manager for J.F. Brennan Co. of La Crosse, Wis., which is in charge of building the foundations for the structures, along with operating the cranes and barges. The project involves building a new 345-kilovolt transmission line adjacent to an existing Dairyland Power Cooperative 161\/69 kilovolt line built in 1955. The double circuit line will be replaced with a triple circuit transmission line.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n CapX2020 is a joint initiative of 11 utilities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin to upgrade and expand the electric transmission grid. The total project costs more than $2 billion and stretches nearly 800 miles. Construction of the Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse section is expected to be completed in 2015.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n For the river crossing, five 187-foot-tall structures are being built, requiring 15 pile-cap foundations. Those foundations are comprised of 362 16-inch steel pipe piles, with some driven into the soil as deep as 130 feet, according to Xcel Energy. A helicopter will be used to string the transmission lines across the river.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Also adding to the challenge is a shortage of concrete. Pontzer said his company was able to work with Wabasha Sand-Gravel-Ready-Mix to make sure that the project was given high priority for concrete because of the limited time before the river freezes.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n In addition to these obstacles, construction crews also have to be keeping a close eye out for eagles. There are two eagles nests in the area and one of them is active. Xcel Energy spokesman Tim Carlsgaard said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service require all work on the project to stop as soon as the eagles return. That could happen in early January.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n “This is just one of the many challenges of this river crossing,” Carlsgaard said.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Still, despite all of the challenges, the massive project is moving ahead on schedule. Pontzer said his company hopes to wrap up its work within two to three weeks. The goal is to have the river crossing completed by February.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n —<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n CapX2020 river crossing basics<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cost of Mississippi River crossing: $30 million<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Estimated crossing length: 1.3 miles<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Needed materials: 5 miles of steel pipe pile, 3,280 cubic yards of concrete<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Getting from here to there: Requires 150 loads of concrete to be delivered to island and peninsula via barges<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Finished product: Will involve a total of five 187-foot-tall structures to hold transmission lines and 15 pile cap foundations. Those foundations are strengthened with 262 16-inch diameter pipe piles with some driven down 130-feet deep into the soil. A helicopter will help string the lines.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CapX 2020 in the news… see below. REMEMBER — IF YOU ARE SERVED WITH PETITION FOR CONDEMNATION, YOU HAVE ONLY 60 DAYS TO FILE YOUR REQUEST FOR “BUY THE FARM.” And in Wisconsin — public hearings on Badger Coulee, La …<\/span> Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[585,337,7,195],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-badgercoulee-wisconsin","category-hampton-alma","category-upcoming-events","category-wisconsin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5811"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5813,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5811\/revisions\/5813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"HearingSchedule\"](\"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/HearingSchedule.jpg\")
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Condemnations start along CapX2020 powerline route<\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n
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Icy water, eagles factor into CapX2020 river crossing<\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n