Chino Hills anticipate EIR on power route

The city is pushing forward with its alternative plan to reroute a proposed wind energy transmission line through the Chino Hills State Park instead of the Southern California Edison proposal that brings the line through the city.

Edison's wind-energy project proposes the activation and expansion of power lines near at least 1,500 homes in Chino Hills. Towers would also be increased in size from between 120 and 140 feet to between 150 and 195 feet.

City manager Doug La Belle travelled to Sacramento last week to continue dialogue on the city's alternative with State Parks Director Ruth Coleman on the issue, though he said the discussion was "informational" and did not expect any agency officials to announce any thoughts on the city plan until its environmental impact review was complete sometime in mid to late February.

Elements of the city proposal include construction of a wildlife crossing under Highway 71 from the park into the Prado Basin, habitat restoration, removal of about 14 miles of active and inactive high-voltage power lines from the state park, and moving lines and towers away from ridgelines and other prominent areas to improve the public's view.

Roy Stearns, spokesman for the state parks, said "Regarding this specific project on the table, we have not either given support or opposition yet."

Stearns said the state parks is waiting to see which route the EIR lists as the preferred route.
"Our intention is to allow this process to move forward before we take a stand," Stearns said.
Despite the city's environmentally-minded rerouting proposal Sandi Blain, manager of transmission project licensing at Southern California Edison, explained the energy company's route will lessen the environmental impact.

"Part of the project's objective is to utilize existing transmission right of way wherever possible," she said. "The existing right of ways are areas that already been impacted environmentally and that does lessen the environmental impact. That's why we make it our preferred transmission route."

The EIR will determine which of the proposed routes contains the least environmental impact, and the EIR's preferred route will be heavily considered by the California Public Utilities Commission, which will decide the matter. After the EIR is released, LaBelle said there will be a 60-day review period during which public participation meetings will be held.
The PUC is expected to make a decision in July or August.

The Edison plan has irked many Chino Hills residents with concerns over the eye-sore large power lines would create, noise, the impact on home values and the possible negative health effects from electromagnetic fields.