we the uninformed, and under informed wish an opportunity to ...

WE THE UNINFORMED, AND UNDER INFORMED WISH AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN A CONTESTED CASE REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSMISSION COMPANY, D/B/A ITCTRANSMISSION’S INTENT TO CONSTRUCT A TRANSMISSION LINE TO SERVE A WIND ENERGY RESOURCE ZONE PURSUANT TO 2008 PA 295 (“THE CLEAN, RENEWABLE AND EFFICIENT ENERGY ACT”) CASE NO. U-16200 ITC Michigan Thumb Loop Project 345 KV Transmission line To the Michigan Public Service Commission: These comments are entered into the record. These comments represent several of the landowners of the above captioned Project. Although these land owner’s are generally of a business background they did not understand the process that is occurring, nor did they realize it in time to file an Intervention. They do not have an Issue with the concept of the Michigan Thumb Loop Project, their major concern is its location, and so far their questions have fallen on deaf ears.

Drafted by Fred Elvin

Another driving force is the project cost; ITC has no incentive to control cost. The MPSC will determine the rate charged the users of the system based on the project cost which includes profit for ITC, so they cannot lose and the more expensive the project is, the more money ITC gets without much apparent regard for the land owners and the users of the project.

The drafter of this document had a phone conversation with a representative of ITC in which some of the land owner’s apprehensions and alternative solutions were presented. The ITC person said that as long as the project is before the MPSC, he would not do anything to accommodate the concerns, he also said that after approval ITC would only consider changing the location a maximum of 200 feet. This puts the land owners that assumed (some were told) they could workout the issues with the construction people, in a very vulnerable situation. It also should be noted (I was told) that the design engineer for this project who is from Missouri invested 16 Hours driving the proposed route. Which begs it question: “Does that include travel time to and from Missouri?” We would like to suggest that the issue of location, and criteria for location, be looked at very carefully, and perhaps the tolerances could be increased to better accommodate a more cost effective and environmentally friendly project. We, the below signed land owners of Colfax and Verona townships, Huron County, State of Michigan, have invested our own time and effort to try to resolve these local Issues, and would like to submit an alternative location for the proposed section of the Michigan Thumb Loop Project 345 KV Transmission Power Line. Hopefully it may serve as an example for the rest of the project. We request the MPSC hearing case U16200 to consider; the following Issues regarding the location of the proposed project. 1. This is Prime Agricultural land. 2. There are many, already submitted, questions and disputes regarding the locating of the proposed power line, and if the commission will allow, we would like to incorporate them in this submittal. 3. After numerous phone calls it was discovered that not one person from ITC contacted the Huron County Road Commission regarding the placement of the power line in their ROW. 4. In response to the inquiry by Fred Elvin concerning the use of the Huron County ROW “they said that they would not object”.


5. Huron and Eastern Railroad, who have many miles of railroad property, who were not contacted regarding the use of their property for a corridor for the power line, suggested that they would be interested in participation. 6. The criteria chosen as the governing rules for the line location needs to be adjusted, it is reflective of the stigma expressed by Urban America, and little regard for Rural America. 7. Farmers and rural people don’t mind looking at silo’s, why would they object to power poles? 8. On M-59 between M-23 and M-96, there is a new installation of the same type of Poles in/or close to the road ROW. 9. One of the property owners is in the excavation business; He estimates the cost of construction could be cut in half if the power line was in the road ROW’s. a. Temporary/construction access roads will not be needed. b. No tile drainage system damage. c. No loss of Agricultural production. d. Low to no restoration costs e. No lease agreements with land owners. f.

Good accessibility.

g. No damage to crops during maintenance. h. Happy land owners. We understand the MPSC is required to expedite this case, but all the electric users of this system are going to pay for the high cost of this poorly engineered project. Please see attached map of an 8 mile section of the project that shows the proposed change the undersigned would like considered. It represents only a small example of the money, inconvenience, and hardship that could be saved.


To the Michigan Public Service Commission: These comments are entered into the record. I just wanted to share with you my concerns regarding the new power lines to be installed in Colfax Township, Huron County, Mi. sections 1 and 2. I am an agriculture businessman and I am concerned with the idea of any obstructions being put in the fields that I am farming or on any of the land that I may farm in the future. Or for that matter, the land that any other of the hard working neighbors also farm. There are many different problems that could affect me and the other farmers. Take for instance if I have a tractor with GPS auto steer in it and it loses its signal, the poles could be accidentally run in to. The lines would prevent us from to putting up an irrigation system in the fields, preventing me from making my land more productive and devaluing it. The equipment for all of us farmers is constantly getting bigger to make us more efficient. With poles in the fields we will have to take time to go around them when planting or spraying or tilling the ground causing us to over seed in some areas, wasting valuable seed and over populating some areas and causing yield loss, with the same results while spraying also wasting valuable sprays as well. This will affect us each and every year. These are just a couple of ways the poles will affect me and my fellow farmers.

There is an easier way to do this, I believe if the poles are moved to the Richardson Road ROW they will be easier and cheaper to construct and they will be on the edge of the fields and will be out of our way. I am in favor of the poles being used to take away the power generated from the windmills, but I am asking you to place them in areas that will make the most people happy. Thank you for taking the time to listen to reason, Peter Shupe 422 W. Richardson Road Bad Axe, Michigan 48413

To the Michigan Public Service Commission: I would like to suggest to the Commission that the sighting criteria for the Michigan Thumb Loop Project be revisited. Elvin Farms, Inc. is a 4th Generation family land owner in Colfax and Verona Townships, Huron County, MI. The family has been actively involved in agriculture since 1879 when the land was first acquired. Over the years the land was cleared, drainage ditches were dug, later field tile were installed, and as machinery got larger 10 acre field fences were removed, and later fences between property owners were removed to facilitate ever larger equipment. The land is enrolled in PA-116 – the Farm Land Preservation Act. Elvin Farms owns three (3) pieces of property affected by this project. ITC would like to place obstructions in the fields, and do damage (that may not be immediately evident) to the field tile. The proposed route of the Preferred Power Line cuts our properties in half. They express no comprehension or regard for the agricultural technology in use today. Although the machinery is guided with GPS and can follow the programmed route and avoid obstacles, if the GPS loses its signal and the operator is unaware, especially at night, a catastrophic event may occur. Two (2) of the above properties’ have combined ¾ mile frontage on M-53 (Class A – All Weather Road). The power line will diminish its’ agriculture value, and severely limit or restrict commercial and/or industrial development in the future. There is a 15 mile - 16” water main constructed in the ROW of M-53 from Port Austin to Bad Axe, it infringes on very little private property along its entire length. There is a Gas main in close proximity to the M-53 ROW that does not infringe or devalue private property. After a few phone calls it was learned that Huron County Road Commission and the local Huron and Eastern Railroad Company were not consulted by ITC. Signed: Frederick W Elvin, Pres. Elvin Farms, Inc. 2458 Rochester Rd. Oakland, Mi. 48363