Dairyland Power Cooperative is asking the Iowa Utilities Board to approve plans for new electric transmission lines in Winneshiek and Allamakee counties

Dairyland Power Cooperative has begun seeking approval from the Iowa Utilities Board for a project to replace some high voltage power lines that run from Nordness in Winneshiek County to the north edge of Postville in Allamakee County, with another leg heading to Waukon in Allamakee County.

There are a total of four petitions that have been filed with the Iowa Utilities Board covering the proposed project.  An informational meeting was held February 17th in Frankville on the first petition--1.28 miles of 69,000 volt three-phase electrical transmission line running from Nordness to an area near Washington Prairie Lutheran Church.  The meeting was attended by several landowners, some of whom have told decorahnews.com that they plan to file an objection with the Iowa Utilities Board to the project because it could interfere with cemeteries on the Frankville Road.

Three other petitions will go before informational meetings March 17th and 18th.  The first meeting on March 17th--at 10:00 a.m. in the community room of the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank in Waukon--will cover a petition involving transmission line on Highway 51 in Allamakee County and the portion of Highway 9 to the west of HIghway 51.  The second meeting on March 17th will be at 2:00 p.m. in the same location and will cover a petition involving Highway 9 east of Highway 51, then north on Allamakee County W-60.  The third informational meeting will be March 18th at 10:30 a.m. at the Frankville Fire Station and will cover the petition involving transmission line in Winneshiek County along Highway 9 from Centennial Road east.

The informational meetings are not hearings.  But if objections to the petition are filed with the Iowa Utilities Board, a hearing must be held and notice published.  At the hearing the Iowa Utilities Board or an administrative judge will preside.  Ultimately, the Utilities Board will be called upon to decide whether the proposed transmission lines are necessary to serve the public, comply with routing and engineering standards and meet all other legal requirements.

When the Iowa Utilities Board makes its final decision, any party may file suit in District Court, asking for judicial review of the decision.