---

To the Editor;
How many people are keeping up on what's happening in our area? Did you pay attention to the Cardinal-Hickory Creek project update in last week's Chronicle? This joint venture of American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative is subject to multiple state and federal lawsuits from the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
Why are these companies allowed to clear land causing irreparable damage along the Mississippi River and wetlands? Quoting the article, "The utilities say they have already spent $156 million on the project, which they feel is critical to ensuring a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy future for the state." How can they spend millions of dollars and neglect our environment? How is it cleaner and safer when they are destroying our environment? they say the Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line Project will provide a vital link in renewable energy.
When this line goes through it opens the floodgates for all the other renewable energy companies to pour in. Third parties filing declarations with the Court include RENEW Wisconsin, WPPI Energy, Pattern Energy and several more. These companies are already stealthily acquiring land easements throughout Lafayette and Iowa Counties.
Do you know what your neighbors have signed up for? Wind turbines and solar projects will litter our area leaving us with little usable farmland, environmental and health issues and a view that will be changed forever. Wake up people! Pattern already has test towers in the area and just erected a new one just outside of Waldwick. Write and/or call your congressman! Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Todd Novak are there to represent our views - contact them. We don't need these companies taking over our countryside.
Join the Driftless Defenders and No-Uplands.com and save our area. We need to stand up for our rights. We need to preserve our valuable assets for future generations. The majority of landowners signing these 40 year contracts are over the age of 55. Have they considered how this will affect their children? Do their children want the land turned into an industrial farm? We need to stand firm and not allow big companies to ruin our wonderful assets in the Driftless Area.

Steve Ferrell
Iowa County Landowner
Monroe, WI