Number
101578
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. MURPHY, HAMILTON, DAVIS, DONOVAN, WITKOWSKI AND BOHL
Title
Substitute resolution relating to the City of Milwaukee's position on the Western Milwaukee County Electric Reliability Project.
Analysis
The proposed Western Milwaukee County Electric Reliability Project calls for the construction, by American Transmission Company, of 2 2-mile, 138,000-volt transmission lines to serve a new electric substation on the Milwaukee County Grounds. Several underground and overhead transmission-line route options in both the City of Milwaukee and the City of Wauwatosa have been proposed. This resolution states that, with regard to the siting of new transmission lines in the City of Milwaukee portion of the project area, the City of Milwaukee supports a route consisting of an underground transmission line along 95th Street between the existing 96th Street Substation and Wisconsin Avenue and an overhead transmission line from Wisconsin Avenue to the new Milwaukee County Substation.
Body
Whereas, The proposed Western Milwaukee County Electric Reliability Project consists of 2 components:
1. Construction of a new We Energies substation adjacent to the existing Milwaukee County Substation and Milwaukee County Power Plant at 93rd Street and Watertown Plank Road in the City of Wauwatosa.
2. Construction, by American Transmission Company ("ATC"), of 2 2-mile, 138,000-volt transmission lines to serve the new substation. Several underground and overhead transmission-line route options in both the City of Milwaukee and the City of Wauwatosa have been proposed.
; and
Whereas, ATC plans to submit a project approval application, including 2 or more route options, to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in early 2012 and hopes to perform final design and easement acquisition in 2013, commence construction in 2014 and place the new facilities in service in 2015; and
Whereas, ATC is soliciting public comment on the proposed transmission line project, including the various route options; and
Whereas, Because 3 of the 8 currently-proposed route variations -- an overhead line along the east side of U.S. Highway 45, an underground line primarily along 95th Street and an underground line primarily along 92nd Street, all roughly from Interstate 94 to Wisconsin Avenue -- would traverse City of Milwaukee neighborhoods, it is appropriate for the City of Milwaukee to express its position on the transmission line project; and
Whereas, Because residents and institutions along 95th Street just east of Highway 45 (including Milwaukee Montessori School, St. Therese Catholic Church and St. Mark's Lutheran Church) are already subjected to high levels of noise, air and aesthetic pollution stemming from the proximity of major freeways and the Zoo Interchange, and because of the possible harmful human health effects of overhead power transmission lines, the Common Council finds that the proposed Highway 45 overhead alignment is an unacceptable route option for one of ATC's proposed transmission lines; and
Whereas, The Common Council further finds that the Highway 45 overhead route option is undesirable because overhead power lines are more likely to cause weather-related power failures than underground lines; and
Whereas, The Common Council also finds that the route through the City of Milwaukee that is most acceptable is a transmission line that would be located underground along 95th Street between the existing 96th Street Substation and Wisconsin Avenue and overhead from Wisconsin Avenue to the new Milwaukee County Substation; and
Whereas, This route is preferable to the other City of Milwaukee routes proposed by ATC because it is:
1. Supported by the Milwaukee Montessori School, St. Therese Parish and residents of the surrounding neighborhood.
2. Technically feasible to construct and operate, according to the American Transmission Company.
3. Several million dollars less expensive to construct than an all-underground route along 95th Street or 92nd Street, thereby producing significant savings for We Energies rate-payers.
; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that with regard to the Western Milwaukee County Electric Reliability Project and the siting of new transmission lines in the City of Milwaukee portion of the project area, the City of Milwaukee supports a route consisting of an underground transmission line along 95th Street between the existing 96th Street Substation and Wisconsin Avenue and an overhead transmission line from Wisconsin Avenue to the new Milwaukee County Substation; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Clerk shall send copies of this resolution to the American Transmission Company and the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB127044-3
Jeffrey D. Osterman
01/05/2012