Heartland Transmission Project

The Concerns are not over!  Support is needed for the eastern side of the city!

A new design for the towers has been chosen - HIGHER!!!

AUGUST 2010.....

The “Reader’s Digest” version of the story is the Heartland Project Team, without any public input, has decided to go back to the original 73-75 metre (240 ft) tall towers (as opposed to the wider 60m tall ones) and they feel we should all be delighted by this news.  They’ve made this decision strictly on the basis of cost – the taller ones use less steel (because they’re only 30 m (100ft) wide instead of 46m (150ft)  – yet they continue to pretend that they’re actually engaging with and listening to the public.  Anyway, here’s a rendition of what they’ll look like:

The Banner Project.....

A project was prepared for citizens to be able to write their feelings and concerns regarding any Electrical Transmission development in urban areas.  These banners were on display at Northlands in November, and many people signed them.

  A community effort was put forth in creating these banners.  

Here they are (click on the photo for a larger version)- and a link to the pictures taken making the banners. 

Thank you to Judy Weiss for spearheading the project.
Thank you to the many people who worked with Judy to create the banners.
Thank you to Rob for sharing the photos. Link to: Making The Banners and the Nov 2009 Meeting.

And THANK YOU to the citizens supporting RETA.

Heartland/RETA

HEARTLAND TRANSMISSION UPDATES

http://retasite.wordpress.com/

 Announcement Made !!!
Preferred Route is the East TUC
Alternative Route is West Rural
Eliminated Routes are :
1. West TUC
2. East Rural
 
Thank you for your support, even though the West TUC route has been eliminated there is still a need for you to continue supporting the cause to, BURY THE LINE, no matter which route is chosen.
 
Information Updates  go to :  www.reta.ca
 
Thank You, from RETA - Responsible Electricity Transmission for Albertans

• Strength in numbers - show your concerns for your health, safety and quality of life.

Your health, especially the health of your children, safety, the environment and property value could be at risk if you live in the west end (especially in a community that neighbors the Anthony Henday) or other parts of the City of Edmonton.  AltaLink / EPCOR are proposing to build Alberta’s largest power line, a double circuit 500KV in our back yard with transmission towers 200ft high (20 storeys) and 135ft wide.  Even if you think this power line won’t affect you, please think about our children and act now. 

• Email, Phone and write our government officials to let them know that overhead lines of this size near homes and schools are an unnecessary risk - Bury the line Not Our Children. (see below for contact list)
• Email, Phone/Write the mayor and city councilors to pass a motion stating that the City of Edmonton opposes any route through the City of Edmonton;  and that it will seek intervener status to act on our behalf at the public hearing in front of the Alberta Utilities Commission if overhead lines are going to be used if any route through the City of Edmonton is chosen.
• Phone the Heartland Project (1-888-441-7192) and complete a consultation to let them know that overhead lines for this project are not acceptable (15 mins).  This is our official voice.

For more information on the Heartland Project and its impact on our community visit  www.reta.ca  and Read more below. 

 High voltage transmission lines in our backyard:  EPCOR and AltaLink are planning to build an overhead double circuit 500 kilovolt power line, called the Heartland Transmission Project. This will be the largest overhead high voltage power line in Alberta, with towers standing 60 meters tall (20 storeys) and arms measuring 135ft wide.  Four routes have been proposed although only one will be chosen.  The power is for the upgrader projects in Redwater, Ft. McMurray and probably for export. 

High voltage power lines have been directly linked to pediatric leukemia (70% increased risk at 200m and 23% increased risk at 600m), and conclusively linked to many other types of cancer, Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s disease, suicide and many other diseases.  The line will emit a constant humming noise.  Many homes will be within 110m and some are as close as 73m.  These tall towers and power lines are dangerous.  They are susceptible to bad weather, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, and lightning. 

In the west end, the line will need to be placed even higher to accommodate Anthony Henday overpasses and will be placed inside of the existing high voltage transmission power lines putting this double circuit 500KV line even closer to homes and schools and creating double jeopardy.  The power lines will kill many birds and are harmful to environmentally sensitive areas.  The towers are ugly and will be seen for miles.  Because of health risks and aesthetics, property value will decrease 10%-15% up to 2.5km away and 40% on or near the line.  (visit  www.reta.ca )

 These industrial sized, overhead power lines are a risk to our health, especially the health of our children, our safety, the environment, and property value and do not belong near homes and schools on any of the proposed routes. 

 In spite of the growing pressure to bury high voltage power lines, AESO, EPCOR and AltaLink continue to indicate that it is too expensive and the technology is not sufficiently developed.

 There are hundreds of examples of successfully buried high voltage power lines all over the world. One of these is a 500 kilovolt power line buried in Tokyo over a 40-kilometer distance. The technology has been available for several decades.

 Underground high voltage power lines are safer than overhead lines, are not a visual blight on the landscape, do not devalue neighboring properties, have fewer environmental impacts, are more reliable, are significantly more efficient in terms of transmission losses, produce less of a carbon footprint, and cost no more than overhead lines over the life of a line. Burying lines eliminates the electric field component of EMFs and significantly reduces the negative health effects of the magnetic field component of EMFs.

 All four routes are now working together to say, Bury the Line Or Don’t Build it.   It is cost effective and actually more efficient to bury the line.  We need to speak up loud and clear and we need your help.  Our silence is our consent. 

For more information about the Heartland Transmission Project and the impact it has on our community please go to www.reta.ca 

 Contact List

 Information used in this update was taken from the following:   www.reta.ca