A Department of Energy proposal to designate part of our region as a key transmission corridor drew mostly negative comments today. The plan would allow the federal government to override local and state land use decisions on energy projects. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has more.
More than 100 people showed up in downtown San Diego to comment on the Department of Energy plan to create a national transmission corridor that includes most of Southern California. The corridor designation would give federal regulators the power to overrule state officials on transmission projects.
Most of the testimony was against the plan. Bill Corcoran is with the Sierra Club.
Corcoran : Your draft designation furthers the usurping of state and local government authority, and the trampling of laws meant to protect sensitive areas from development.
The DOE study says the transmission grid is old and doesn't meet the demand of western users. San Diego Gas and Electric's Jim Avery agrees. He supports the corridor plan.
Avery : Our system is severely congested. The people of San Diego basically pay more for congestion right now than virtually anyone else in this country.
Others favoring the corridor plan say it's necessary to ensure a steady supply of power to fuel economic growth. Many people commented on SDGE's proposed Sunrise Powerlink project too.The utility wants to build a high capacity power transmission line to bring electricity from the Imperial Valley to San Diego.
If the state Public Utilities Commission rejects the project, under the corridor designation, SDGE could ask for a federal permit to build it. The comment period on the DOE proposal ends in July. The Energy Secretary will make the final decision on the corridor designations.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
