American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative
Background:
On May 27, the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), on behalf of the plaintiffs, filed an emergency motion for an injunction with the Federal District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to stop construction of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line Project. On August 5, Judge Conley denied the request for an injunction halting construction pending appeal.
Co-owners’ joint statement regarding Federal District Court ruling denying motion for emergency injunction:
Once again, the Federal District Court has declined to enjoin construction of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek Project, the vast majority of which is being constructed on private land outside the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge). As the Federal District Court has previously recognized, the Court does not have jurisdiction over construction on non-federal lands and activities by private parties.
The Cardinal-Hickory Creek project is vital to the future of our region’s renewable energy and clean energy economy. Construction of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek project is well underway, with completion of the first segment outside of the Refuge in Iowa completed in July. In Wisconsin, solid progress has been made on transmission line construction. The critical role of this project in meeting the region’s energy needs compels the co-owners to ensure it is placed in service for the benefit of electricity consumers by December 2023.
American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative believe this project stands on its merits. Currently, 127 renewable generation projects totaling more than 19 gigawatts are dependent upon its construction – enough to power millions of homes with clean energy.
We look forward to completing this project, which will reduce energy costs, improve electric grid reliability, relieve congestion on the transmission system, support decarbonization goals and help support the interconnection of renewable generation in the Upper Midwest.
Additional project information is available at www.cardinal-hickorycreek.com.