WINTHROP - A retired 3M executive and Winthrop native spoke his mind to state energy officials Thursday at a public hearing on the proposed Great River and Xcel Energy (Capx2020) power line project at the Winthrop Vets Club.

The proposed transmission line project links Brookings, S.D. to Hampton, Minn., and roughly follows Highway 19.

"We need good coordination between state regulatory agencies...and state leadership that doesn't just react to (project) applicants," said Allen L. Messerli of Stillwater. "It's high time to consider routing the (345 Kv transmission line) along existing railroad and power lines."

Instead of designing new power line routes, Messerli asked Minnesota Office of Energy Security (OES) officials to use existing railroad and power line corridors to preserve the environment, save money and the ire of property owners affected by proposed new power line routes.

"I live within 60 feet of a high-voltage power line and there's a nearby shopping center within 40 feet of it," Messerli added. "I've been in many countries that share infrastructure corridors. I guess they're just smarter than us."

State officials said they wanted to avoid routing new transmission lines through small towns.

Messerli said he visited affected small towns and added that most buildings near railroad lines were abandoned.

Cornish Township Supervisor Jim Mayer of rural Winthrop said he attended similar public meetings for natural gas pipeline projects on or near his property.

"The rhetoric seems to be the same at the hearings, then the projects are different," Mayer said. "There were 50 semi-loads of rock hauled in for the gas projects that tore up roads, largely due to frost boils. It cost township taxpayers $12,000 to fix the roads. We were reimbursed only $1,100."

He added that the proposed power line route runs across the road from an existing natural gas pipeline that drains off excess natural gas.

Mayer asked if the situation would be hazardous.

State officials said they would look into the issue.

Mayer suggested routing new power lines on the other side of the pole from existing ones.

State officials said existing technology does not favor doing so.

After hearing Le Sueur resident Duane Kamrath ask state officials to consider routing power lines away from homes recently built atop the Minnesota River Valley bluffs near the Jolly Green Giant sign and U.S. Highway 169 for aesthetic reasons, Messerli said a crossing alternative near an existing power line south of Belle Plaine would have fewer negative impacts.

As he did in earlier rebuttal testimony, Craig Poorker of the OES said the project's modified preferred Minnesota River crossing route was at Le Sueur, further south of Buck's Lake, identified as an important area for wildlife including migratory waterfowl and a heron rookery.

Poorker said routing the power lines along existing ones would require double or even triple-circuiting existing lines or building 345 kV transmission facilities parallel to them.

He added that the Belle Plaine crossing had more challenges including several wetlands - some of them forested - and a recorded eagle's nest near the centerline of the existing 69 kV transmission line.

Poorker said the river bluffs near Belle Plaine were 1-2 miles wide, creating even more challenges than the bluffs near Le Sueur.

Other concerns voiced included online "line of sight" issues in Redwood County, GPS (Global Positioning System) performance, lower property values and yield loss due to inability to aerial spray in and around new transmission lines.

State officials said online and GPS performance should not be affected by the transmission lines.

They added that property values and yield loss would need to be calculated on a case-by-case basis.

A public hearing will be held 1-5 p.m. and 7-10 p.m., Monday, Dec. 7 at the Brass top Hall/Hog Wild Saloon in Henderson.

Evidentiary hearings begin at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, Dec. 15-18 at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 121 7th Place East, in downtown St. Paul.

Project comments on the project can be e-mailed to Administrative Law Judge Richard Luis at www.capx.oah@state.mn.us with "Office of Administrative Hearings Docket No. 7-2500-20283-2 in the subject line. Comments can be faxed to 651-361-7936.

Comment deadline is 4:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 15, 2010.

Judge Luis' decision on the project is expected in late April or early May, 2010.

Barring Minnesota Court of Appeals cases, the transmission line project linking Brookings, S.D. to Hampton, Mn would begin in late 2011. Project completion date was set for 2013.

For more information, visit www.puc.state.mn.us

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).