Erath residents once again traveled to Austin last week to raise their voices against the largescale transmission lines planned to go through the county in the Dinosaur-Longshore 765kV line. Dinosaur-Longshore is one of several large tower paths proposed to move electricity from East Texas to the natural gas-rich Permian Basin. Despite some frustrations, those present saw proof that others are listening as 31 Texas representatives signed a resolution recommending the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to deny the associated projects so the plan can be redrafted and PUC accepted requests to join the Dinosaur-Longshore line with the Longshore-Drill Hole line on the north.
On Wednesday, Aug. 19, a House Committee on State Affairs meeting was held on data centers and to review the regulatory and planning processes on 765kV lines. A bus of 25 Erath County residents left Stephenville at 4:30 a.m. that morning and were joined by even more in Austin where hundreds were reported to be present for the meeting.
Erath County Judge Brandon Huckabee and Emily Howle, one of the volunteers spearheading “STOP 765kV Transmission Lines in Erath County and surrounding areas” on Facebook voiced their frustration that only 46 were allowed to present public testimony before they closed the meeting at 8 p.m. even though many more had signed up to speak.
“82 people who didn’t get to speak today,” said Judge Huckabee. “That’s not representation; that’s a dogand- pony show that catered to industry. We deserve better.”
Huckabee did say the 12 hours of testimony included “lots of great testimony from people across the state and several from Erath County” though including two students from White Horse Christian Academy.
The school has been raising funds for expansion to include a gym, multipurpose building and outdoor recreation fields. The students contended the proposed route may affect those plans.
TyAnn Clements offered: “On a map, C3 may just look like another line but underneath that line is my school, my family’s ranch and my entire childhood.... I understand that Texas needs reliable electricity and I’m not against reliable power. I’m against choosing a route that sacrifices childrens’ educations, their future, agriculture, livestock, the animals to that livelihood and a family property when other routes can be considered.”
“Adults often say decisions made today should protect the future,” Clements added. “I am one of the young people who have to live with this decision.”
Fellow White Horse student Charlie Horner pointed out the route would not only affect their school but several major developments within a mile of it—a steel mill, Atwoods, an Amazon facility, Tractor Supply, Valero and Texas A&M AgrilLife Extension Center, most of which were built within the last three years.
“My concern in the information being used to evaluate this route does not appear to fully reflect the development that exists on the ground today,” said Horner. “That matters because the PUC’s routing process considers, schools, commercial and industrial structures, existing development and community impacts.”
Many returned to Austin Friday, Aug. 21 for a PUC meeting to decide on the Dinosaur and Drill Hole Certificate of Convenience and Necessity applications, which would allow the service and work to be done in that area.
A decision from a Thursday meeting energized those arguing against the application process performed for the 765kV lines. Administrative Law Judges with the State Office of Administrative Hearings recommended the PUC deny the Bell County East-to-Big Hill line with a decision that asserted in part the applicants didn’t show sufficient need for the project and also claimed they violated the public meeting requirements for 1400 landowners on newly added routes when the CCN application was filed.
Howle and Huckabee were amongst those speaking at the Friday PUCT meeting.
Howle referenced that more than 1,300 intervenors had filed on the Dinosaur-Longshore project (adding that more than 700 of the statements had been removed by SOAH for various reasons” and concerns issued about the application process.
“I hope this information and those numbers pique your interest and you research this process and help make changes on behalf of the public that you serve,” Howle said. “There should never be a time when neighbors have to advocate for themselves and their neighbors in a matter of this scale. There should never be a time when the people that stand to profit the most at the cost of others are the ones calling the shots.”
Howle referenced arguments made in the Wednesday meeting that equipment had been purchased years before and that the lines fill a great state need.
Howle, like the majority of speakers acknowledge the need for reliable power in Texas but said: “There’s no reason to rush decisions that are affecting so many people.”
“The greater the power government exercises the greater our obligation should be to exercise it fairly,” Huckabee said in his statement. “There will always be deadlines. There will always be money already invested. There will always be experts telling us why something needs to move forwards. There will always be lawyers explaining what government can do.”
“Changing course when the facts demand it is not weakness,” he added. “Admitting that something needs another look is not failure. Sometimes those are the clearest measures of leadership.... The power government possesses matters but how we choose to exercise that power matters even more.”
At the meeting, PUC chose to join Dinosaur-Longshore and Longshore Switch-Drill Hole Switch lines together in deciding need as critics noted the Drill Hole projects was significantly shorter and some worried that the precedence in that decision would affect the decisions in other Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP) Permian projects like Dinosaur-Longshore.
No decisions were made on either project with PUC set for discussion/possible action on the lines again Friday, Aug. 28.
Last week’s meetings were referenced in statements by lawmakers requesting PUC to deny the applications. Representative Shelby Slawson was among 31 Representatives requesting that five 765 kV CCN applications be denied for the “Texas legislature to reform the CCN process to ensure transparent, fair treatment of Texas landowners.”
The statement also pointed out State Representative Charles Geren said he did not intend House Bill 5066 to apply to such large projects crossing the state when he proposed the legislation helping to fast-track Permian Basin projects. HB5066 reduced the application time from one year to 180 days in applicable projects.
State Representative Ken King also sent a letter Monday, Aug. 24 to Thomas Gleeson, Chairman of PUC and Pablo Vegas, President/CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas noting the “hundreds of Texans” shown were present at the House committee meeting to show their concern over the CCN process.
“West Texas and the Permian Basin need power, but not built on the backs of thousands of farmers and ranchers that were not given proper notice, an opportunity for adequate representation or a voice in the case as it progressed through the regulatory process,” King wrote, adding he looked forward to working with both in finding a process that works ‘best for all Texans.’
Howle praised the tenacity and resolve of those in Erath County, Somervell County and all over who have been working to educate and empower the public in this process. She also commended Joanna Freibele, saying the local organization wouldn’t have been possible without her knowledge.
Those looking for more information can email no765kv@gmail.com.