Rob Undersander Testimony for Tuesday, March 12, 2013 Committee on Environment and Energy High Voltage Transmission

Lines, by their very nature, impact primarily rural Minnesotans. The voices of those citizens, many of whom are economically disadvantaged, are not being heard and taken seriously. The conduct of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission with regard to issuing the CAPX 2020 route permit was egregious, callous, and biased for those represented by counsel. The public hearings were a sham. As a result, more legislative oversight, more detail in the statutes, and less interpretation by PUC members is needed. The following four items must be incorporated into MN law: 1. Consideration by the PUC of citizen comments in HVTL routing. Appallingly, MN Statute 216E.03 does not list citizen comments in its Subd .7. Considerations in designating sites and routes. Additionally, when cost and environmental impacts are substantially equal, route selection preferred by a majority of respondents to a public notice should be given preference by the commission, especially in route amendments. 2. Do not designate a preferred route in the scoping phase. This creates an uneven playing field, allowing residents on the preferred route a year or more to organize and "lawyer up". 3. For HVTLs greater than or equal to 200 kva, set the impacted distance in the scoping phase at 1000 feet from line center. Set it at 500 feet for less than 200 kva. These distances more adequately address visual impacts. All other impacts of an HVTL, such as EMF, require far less distance. Currently, HVTL applicants are allowed to set the impacted distance. This is a conflict of interests. Applicants will set a shorter distance, as they did in CAPX 2020, to minimize public input and consideration by the ALJ during the scoping phase. 4. Require professional diversity among the members of the PUC. During the CAPX 2020 hearings, 60 % of the PUC members were attorneys. Their judgment was overshadowed by concern for legal precedent, reliance on appeals, and interdepartmental squabbling, instead of exercising simple fairness. I was born and raised in central MN, moved away for 35 years, and returned to live next door to my aging father and family. My careers and interests have led me to live in almost every section of our country. I have experienced many local governments and served on a local commission myself. I have NEVER been so disenchanted with a state government as I am now. I am ashamed to live in a state where government appointed officials are allowed to trample on the rights of so many. Sincerely, Rob Undersander