Residents hope council revotes on proposed electric transmission line

Columbia Missourian

COLUMBIA — Some Columbia residents said they want the City Council to reconsider a proposed electric transmission line that would run by Mill Creek Elementary School. In response, the city on Monday presented information at the school in order to address resident concerns.

The line is being built to meet federal regulations on reliable power, and to bring more power to southern Columbia. However, some parents of children attending Mill Creek say they are concerned about possible adverse health effects from electromagnetic fields caused by the power lines, according toprevious Missourian reporting.

Columbia Water and Light spokeswoman Connie Kacprowicz, Assistant Director Ryan Williams, Engineering Supervisor Dan Clark and Engineering Manager David Storvick were in attendance to answer questions and present information.

"It was good to be here, people were very polite," Clark said. "People disagree on these things. I think, no matter where the transmission line is placed, not everyone will be happy with it."

Those attending the meeting expressed concerns including the possibility that the line would lower home values and cause health conditions such as leukemia.

REVISITING OPTIONS

Three options for the transmission line were originally proposed:

• Option A: a 161-kilovolt line running along Providence Road, Grindstone Parkway, Nifong Boulevard, Vawter School Road and Scott Boulevard.

• Option B: a 69-kilovolt line connecting the Mill Creek substation with the Grindstone Parkway and Hinkson Creek substations.

• Option B-2 was similar to Option B, although a section of the line would have been moved to a city-owned property near the Waste Water Treatment Plant, according to thecity's website.

• From October 2012 to January 2013, the city conducted a survey of Water and Light customers and those who lived within 500 feet of the proposed lines in order to determine which option residents preferred. The results of the survey showed 76 percent of respondents chose option A.

However, some residents said this survey was not representative: Resident Detelina Marinova said less than one percent of people who received the survey actually responded.

"I appreciate that the city came out to talk with us and gave their time," resident Melinda Jenne said. "I wish (Water and Light representatives) would have given the City Council, when they voted, all the information about health concerns, about properties devaluing up to 30 percent, and that option B is cheaper."

"The survey process was very late in the year, it was not a good representation of the community," resident Brian Keicher said. "With only 1,500 respondents in a community this size and a majority of them even not coming from this area, it doesn't give you a really good idea of truly how the public feels about the proposed transmission lines."

"They (city council) were simply not given enough information, which involves a lot of things – the survey, which is invalid, absence of complete disclosure of health effects," Marinova said.

She said she hopes the council will consider voting again on the lines.

Jenne said she also hopes the council will reconsider their decision about the route of the line.

"Moving forward, I hope we are given the chance to see council revote with all of the information," Jenne said. "And just, the city to put our kids in the forefront and always keep the safety of the community as their number one issue."

Attendees were able to ask questions and fill out comment cards to submit to the city. The comment card is also available online at www.poweringcolumbia.com. These comments can be submitted until Oct. 14, when they will then be reviewed by project engineers who will consider the final pole placements of the line. These comments will then be presented to the council.