TOWN OF FREDONIA, Wis. — Residents in the Town of Fredonia are organizing against a proposed transmission line that could run through their backyards and over their homes.
READ ALSO | West Bend community organizes against power line project they fear will disrupt rural properties
The American Transmission Company is proposing the power line as one of several options to meet higher demand for electricity in the area, including projects like the Port Washington data center complex.
The Town of Fredonia passed a resolution Wednesday night opposing the power lines. Residents hope the gesture will influence the Wisconsin Public Service Commission when the proposals are submitted for review.
Watch: Power line proposal sparks Fredonia neighbors to reach out to TMJ4
Trish Binkowski, who lives along County Highway A, said the transmission line would devastate her property and force her and her husband's tree service to move.
"It's not right at all to do that to people who worked hard, to put their blood sweat and tears into their property. I don't want to leave," Binkowski said.
Binkowski is one of several neighbors who have formed the "Protect Fredonia Coalition" to petition the town government to oppose the plans.
Patti Plough, who organized the coalition, said her property is on the contingent route, one of three possibilities the company is considering.
"It's going to disrupt our property values. It's going to disrupt the wildlife, the wetlands," Plough said. "That's not an eyesore. That's an intrusion or an invasion of your property," Plough said.
The concerns aren't isolated to Fredonia. TMJ4 reporters have covered similar complaints from residents in Port Washington, Saukville and West Bend.
It's a battle those in Fredonia wish they weren't fighting — feeling the options presented are pitting neighboring communities against each other.
"I don't think we should even be doing this, but if they had to pick a route, why not pick an existing route and bury the lines," Binkowski said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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