BECI 765-kV Transmission Line Project

The BECI (terrible acronym not worth explaining) Project is planning to cross the Driftless with almost 200 miles of new transmission lines and massive towers that are apparently so useful that is has to justify multiple different explanations to similarly phrased questions about 'Why is it needed?' The Project website is https://www.mgs-projects.com/BECI.

The buttons below link to individual resources that are also advertised on that website but, the links they provided to their map was not fully functional (at least it wasn't on my computer's web browser) so, I had to work a little to get it to open but, I've provided the direct link below. 

The Map books that are advertised as printable on 11"x17" sheets are, in fact, 22"x28" and reference layers are already difficult to read at 100% so, I would not recommend printing those. Furthermore, the map series numbers don't even correspond with the Study Segment numbers and there's not an overview map so, it's very confusing. Go with the interactive BECI Map link below. 

There are already two proposed alternate routes that completely avoid the Range and Maa Wákąčąk (Badger Lands). I trust that our community will not sacrifice the easy routes that would disrupt what so many others have worked hard to protect. 

While none of BRPA's Conservation Easements appear to be directly impacted by the proposed routes, they certainly get close in a few spots and Study Segment 16 would absolutely have a detrimental effect on habitat quality and connectivity in the North Range.

One further annoyance realized when I created these .gifs was that poor little shrub that just couldn't be spared while its old fencerow neighbor — mother, maybe — lives another day. That's just it though; taking little bits at a time doesn't really seem that bad until all the pieces are gone. What's that Aldo said about tinkering?

Curious too that the image here (immediately above) includes some existing utility lines crossing in the top-left corner; few probably know what fencerows might have been lost to those transmission lines. And, if you look close back there where that nearest tower is shown, it looks like they've even razed a couple grain bins; hm.