PUC takes input today

SAN LUIS VALLEY — Residents of the San Luis Valley have until 4 p.m. today (Wednesday, July 28) to share additional comments in the first phase of the proposed new transmission line.

At the conclusion of a Colorado Public Utilities Commission evidentiary hearing in Denver on Monday, Judge Mana Jennings-Fader decided to re-open the comment period for 48 hours, which ends today.

Valley resident Sally Keller was largely responsible for the extended comment period, as she brought into question information that was presented during the evidentiary hearing on Monday. Although the hearing was open to the public and available on Webcast, it was not a public comment hearing. As Keller was listening to the Webcast on Monday morning, she said she heard attorneys for the utility companies referring to March and June letters of support from the Huerfano county commissioners.

Public Information Officer Terry Bote with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Public Utilities Commission had earlier told Keller when she questioned the inclusion of the Huerfano letter that although the letter was posted in e-filings it was not in the evidentiary record and would not be considered in the decision.

“The evidentiary record is not the same as what’s listed in e-filings. The record closes when hearings end, and nothing received after that is considered as evidence in a case,” Bote had stated to Keller.

Bote further corresponded via e-mail with Keller, stating: “The administrative law judge is no longer accepting public comments in the San Luis Valley power line case. The public had the opportunity to provide oral comments at public hearings held in Walsenburg and Alamosa, and through written comments up until the start of the evidentiary hearings ... The administrative law judge has indicated that no additional public comment will be considered by the commission.”

(PUC held public hearings on Nov. 9 and 10, 2009, concluded evidentiary hearings on February 11 of this year and reopened the evidentiary record for July 26 and 30.)

Since Keller had these emails stating no further comments would be accepted, she contacted objectors’ attorneys on Monday to ask why the utilities were allowed to use, during the evidentiary hearing on Monday, letters of support submitted after that cut-off date. By the end of the day on Monday, Trinchera attorneys brought up the issue during the PUC hearing, and the judge decided to re-open the matter for public comment for a limited time.

Valley resident Ceal Smith said she would try to get the comment period extended even further. The evidentiary hearing continues on Friday. Smith and Keller said they expected quite a few comments to be submitted to the PUC before the close of business today, Wednesday.

To comment, email Judge Mana Jennings-Fader mana.jennings-fader@dora.state.co.us, or Public Information Officer Terry Bote Terry.Bote@dora.state.co.us

The current step before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity, determining purpose and need. The application is required for the utilities to build and own electricity infrastructure in Colorado and must be granted to the utilities before construction can begin.

The process does not determine preferred routes or location of the line.

The power companies seeking to build a new transmission line across La Veta Pass into the San Luis Valley have stated routing alternatives would be determined by a detailed routing process and the federal review process currently underway. Then, each county would have the authority to define the final line route, the proponents stated.

The transmission line is proposed for several reasons including back up power to the Valley’s existing electrical infrastructure and increased capacity to deliver solar-generated power from the Valley. The line would connect with the San Luis Valley Substation between Mosca and Hooper.

Concerns about the proposed transmission line have included: negative impacts of the potential route; effects on scenery, wildlife habitat and human health; and the need for, and cost of, the power line.