PRINT
E-MAIL STORY
NEWSLETTER SIGN UPADVERTISEMENT
Staff Reporter
cmacho@oakdaleleader.com
209-847-3021, ext. 8128
The Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Director voted to pull out of the controversial Transmission Agency of Northern California (TANC) project at their July 14 meeting. The project would finance and build 600 miles of high voltage lines and towers throughout Northern California.
MID joins another public utility, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), which pulled out of the group two weeks ago.
MID and SMUD were two of the larger cities and utilities that formed the 15 member Joint Powers Agency to bring solar, wind, and geo thermal energy from the Lassen area of Northern California to the Central Valley and Bay Area. The project is slated to impact the Oakdale area with power lines and transmission towers tentatively mapped to follow Wamble and Sierra roads and come within approximately 2,500 feet of the Oakdale airport.
SMUD would have covered approximately 35 percent of the cost of the 600-mile long transmission line project. With their resources removed from the project, along with the withdrawal of MID, TANC’s future is in question.
Sharon Ott, one of the organizers of a meeting in Oakdale last month where Oakdale area residents heard from TANC — and MID — general manager Allen Short, attended the MID board meeting on July 14. She said although it appears TANC has been dealt a lethal blow, Ott voiced concern about the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) project that is still scheduled to place lines from New Melones Reservoir through the Oakdale area.
“They have lots of federal stimulus money,” Ott said of the WAPA project. “Lots and lots of stimulus money. I think that’s still a concern.”
Ott said another meeting regarding the WAPA project will be held on July 22 in the Sacramento area. Watch the Oakdale Leader’s website, www.oakdaleleader.com, for details.
MID joins another public utility, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), which pulled out of the group two weeks ago.
MID and SMUD were two of the larger cities and utilities that formed the 15 member Joint Powers Agency to bring solar, wind, and geo thermal energy from the Lassen area of Northern California to the Central Valley and Bay Area. The project is slated to impact the Oakdale area with power lines and transmission towers tentatively mapped to follow Wamble and Sierra roads and come within approximately 2,500 feet of the Oakdale airport.
SMUD would have covered approximately 35 percent of the cost of the 600-mile long transmission line project. With their resources removed from the project, along with the withdrawal of MID, TANC’s future is in question.
Sharon Ott, one of the organizers of a meeting in Oakdale last month where Oakdale area residents heard from TANC — and MID — general manager Allen Short, attended the MID board meeting on July 14. She said although it appears TANC has been dealt a lethal blow, Ott voiced concern about the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) project that is still scheduled to place lines from New Melones Reservoir through the Oakdale area.
“They have lots of federal stimulus money,” Ott said of the WAPA project. “Lots and lots of stimulus money. I think that’s still a concern.”
Ott said another meeting regarding the WAPA project will be held on July 22 in the Sacramento area. Watch the Oakdale Leader’s website, www.oakdaleleader.com, for details.
July 15, 2009 - 04:57 PM
When our hyper-conservobots want to blame the 'liberals' for our plight,just remember this issue....N.I.M.B.Y.
Post A Comment