Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen says he is continuing to hear strong concerns from residents in the southeast about the routing and communications around the proposed Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission Line which is expected to be built from the Dorsey Station to the Manitoba-Minnesota Border.
“I think for many people it feels like Déjà vu as they have lived through this recently with the Bi-Pole III decision by the NDP. There are meetings that are happening but not many answers that are being given to questions that residents who are going to be impacted by this line have,” said Goertzen.
Goertzen noted that questions have been raised on why the route is going through more populated areas and farmland when an alternative route through either Crown Land or less populated areas is available. Residents have also asked whether compact hydro lines are available that have less impact on land and the environment.
“As with Bi-Pole III, there are many questions about how decisions are being made, why certain routes are being selected over others and why some more advanced technologies are not being used,” said Goertzen. “Manitoba Hydro is owned by Manitobans and Manitobans have a right to have these questions answered.”
Goertzen notes that local NDP MLAs have not been responding to their constituents on Hydro routing concerns, instead referring it to Manitoba Hydro officials despite the fact that recent Public Utilities Board rulings have shown that the NDP are directing Hydro on most capital projects.
“The NDP have their hands all over Hydro on building projects so they need to answer to the questions that have arisen. You can’t on one hand be telling Hydro what to do and on the other be telling Manitobans you have nothing to do with the decisions at Hydro,” said Goertzen.
A final preferred route for the Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission line is expected to be released in the fall of this year.
