Power line opponents file suit to stop project

Published 9:26 am Tuesday, August 21, 2012

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Opponents of a power line linking La Crosse, Wis., and Rochester are suing Wisconsin regulators who approved the project.

The lawsuit filed in Dane County claims the high-voltage line was approved using outdated forecasts for electrical demand. It also contends insufficient consideration was made for protecting a scenic byway along the Mississippi River.

Citizens Energy Task Force of La Crosse and NoCapX 2020 of Red Wing are challenging the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s decision in May to approve the power line.

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It’s one segment of a $2 billion transmission project, dubbed CapX2020, involving nearly a dozen utilities. The project is designed to spread power across Wisconsin, Minnesota and the region.