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I’m concerned about the possibility of immense power lines destroying the view and environment of the Coulee Region. You may have heard about the proposed 15-story “steel giants” — a project from 11 utility companies called CapX2020. It would change our luscious landscape in the Coulee Region forever.

As a mom and a nature-lover, the thought of monstrous high-voltage lines traveling through our region makes me sick.

The project is in a “certificate of need” process, where it is being reviewed by an administrative law judge in St. Paul, Minn. Experts have testified that the CapX project developers have failed to demonstrate that they have explored the possibility of obtaining power from renewable energy sources.

According to Citizens Energy Task Force, CapX is proposing to bypass state laws of efficiencies and renewable energy by sending the lines from North Dakota through Minnesota and on to points east, where the power can be sold to large markets like Chicago and Milwaukee. All at the expense of the rate payers (that’s us).

You didn’t hear about CapX2020? You’re not alone. There were no CapX public information sessions or hearings in this area.

Do we want are children exposed to the effects of these lines? Until electromagnetic field exposure is proven safe, the utilities should stop exposing citizens to them.

Want to get informed? Log onto www.cetf.us (Citizens Energy Task Force) or www.ilsr.org.

Want to be heard? Write to the administrative law judge (by Sept. 26.): The Honorable Beverly J. Heydinger, Office of Administrative Hearings, 600 N. Robert St., P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620

You can also e-mail the judge at capx.oah@state.mn.us.

Letters from Coulee Region residents are critical. After Sept. 26, if the project gets approval in the “need” process, the next step is to determine exactly Where the lines will go. Let’s stop these lines and keep our region pristine.