Transmission Line resources

Note: a locally-hosted information event will be held in Gays Mills on Sunday 2/22. More details here.

Many people are concerned about a new high-capacity transmission line that has been proposed to cut through Crawford County. The new towers would be the largest transmission towers in Wisconsin:

• existing line: 161kv, on 70’ wooden poles,100’ cleared easement beneath

• proposed line: 765kv, on 200' metal lattice towers, 250' wide cleared easement beneath

There are alternatives. Elsewhere in the midwest similar long-distance transmission lines are being buried underground (Iowa SOO line). Or the route could be set to follow existing industrial corridors (interstates, railways) rather than cutting through homes, farms, and natural areas.

Local people are concerned about the current proposal for reasons including the impact on homes, the visual impact, the additional seizure of private land, effect on property values, effect on tourism, effect on wildlife, and the towers' potential instability in our karst geology.  There is also disagreement around whether the line needs to be built at all, whether it is justified by power demand. Here is an 11/19/25 article about it from the Crawford Independent newspaper.

As of 2/8/26 the exact proposed route has not been filed with the Public Service Commission (PSC), but Dairyland Power has said it will follow an existing transmission corridor, and that Bell Center is its preferred substation. Dairyland has said it will file with the PSC in 2026, which means that local communities must act quickly if they wish to get this proposal changed.

Infographic showing the impact on real homes along 18 miles of a potential route. Click to enlarge.

One of CSPs five core values is "Inclusivity: we trust that the best decisions are made with all stakeholders at the table, using good process to meet divisive issues with collaboration and teamwork."  Although Dairyland promotional materials speak of community participation in decision-making, CSP has not seen this happening.

Utility representatives have been knocking on doors along the proposed route and offering landowners $500 in exchange for signed permission to survey their properties. CSP encourages landowners to take their time reading and considering the consent agreement carefully. If landowners refuse this permission the utility can fill in gaps using LiDAR data.

CSP has heard that some landowners refusing to sign the consent agreement have been threatened with eminent domain. Our understanding is that this is inappropriate...perhaps the utility is testing-out the level of resistance they may encounter. If you are treated unprofessionally by the utility you can file a complaint with the PSC.

If you are concerned about this proposed route CSP encourages you to:

1. Contact your township and ask them to pass a resolution requesting more information from Dairyland Power. Here is a template for a township resolution that any town can edit and use.

2. If you are a potentially affected landowner, contact the the appropriate utility to request more detailed information regarding potential impacts to your property. Use this map to identify which utility to contact. Here are letter templates for Dairyland Power (west of Bell Center) and Transource (east of Bell Center).

3. You can sign this petition which is being circulated by a local grassroots group opposed to the proposed route.

Here are some additional resources about the proposal:

• The October episode of our monthly podcast features a discussion with Rob Danielson. Rob is an affected landowner near LaFarge who has a deep understanding of the power industry and the process of how transmission lines get sited and approved. Rob offers us a 101-level introduction to why these particular proposals are unlike anything seen in Wisconsin before, questions the need for them at all, and talks about the most effective actions concerned landowners can take. Here is a transcript of the episode.

• Here is a letter from Dairyland in July 2025 responding to questions submitted by a local landowner.

• A local grassroots group has formed to oppose the transmission line being routed across homes & natural areas. Their website contains links to further resources and upcoming events.