'We don’t want it': Fredonia residents say no to newly proposed powerlines

FREDONIA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It was a packed house in Fredonia Wednesday night, Sept. 10, at a town hall meeting, as frustrated residents spoke out against the potential of new powerlines that could be built on dozens of people's properties.

Every single seat was taken, with people listening from the hallway, all coming together to say no to oppose the proposed construction.

The American Transmission Company shared its plan to construct new substations and transmission lines that would impact Fredonia.

The Fredonia Town Board shared their resolution and voted to pass it Wednesday night, which opposes the new high voltage transmission lines proposed to go through the area.

The town says those lines will serve the electric consumption for the Data Center being built in Port Washington, yet they are the ones who would deal with the negative impacts.

Not a single person in attendance was in favor of this proposal, sharing their environmental, health and safety concerns, as well as how it will negatively impact their property value.

“We don’t want it,” said Patty Vichich, a longtime Fredonia resident. “The southern route doesn’t want it; somebody is going to get it. They have existing lines that are already up. If they could follow those lines, I think it would benefit a lot of people.”

Public comment on the topic lasted around 45 minutes, and the board was in full agreement with residents' concerns.

The board said they have been speaking with ATC and that no route is set in stone yet, as the company has a few options, including the more expensive one to build underground.

CBS 58 did reach out to ATC for a statement about these concerns from residents and hasn’t heard back yet.