On Tuesday, a coalition of southern Wisconsin landowners, volunteers and community leaders converged on the State Capitol for a coordinated “Day of Power.” Organized by the grassroots group No 765 Line, participants from ten counties met with state legislators and staff to press for reforms to Wisconsin’s transmission siting statutes and to secure greater public input on two proposed 765‑kilovolt projects – the BECI line and the MariBell line.
Local voices take the floor
The day began with an educational session that outlined the scope of the two projects. Attendees then split into smaller groups, each visiting a different lawmaker’s office. Tenille Osthoff, a volunteer with No 765 Line, explained that residents used the meetings to ask legislators from both parties to work together on the issue. “I feel like we’ve been divided for a long time and this is a really great opportunity to show the world that, hey, we can get stuff done, especially when we’re not in session,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Republican representative for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, addressed the crowd in the Capitol Rotunda, declaring his opposition to the projects in the Driftless Region. “I represent the Driftless Region in Washington, D.C. And these people are not putting these towers through my backyard,” he said.
Broad bipartisan support
The rally featured speakers from both sides of the aisle. Viroqua Mayor Krista Browne highlighted her city’s August Common Council vote to oppose the MariBell line, even though the line would not cross Viroqua itself. “We voted together to say no to this line cutting through our neighbors’ homes, sheds, barns. No to it cutting across fertile fields,” she said, urging attendees to keep showing up at local and state meetings.
Janet Johnson, another No 765 Line volunteer, noted the shift in political attention. “Considering a year ago, nobody would hear us. And every time we’d call a legislator, they’d say, well, we really can’t do anything. And now people are paying attention,” she said.
Local governments already taking action
According to No 765 Line, 89 towns, villages, cities and counties across the ten affected counties have adopted resolutions related to the projects. While some have outright opposed the lines or specific routes, others have called for additional information or review. Dane County, for example, unanimously approved a resolution in September urging Midcontinent Grid Solutions and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to allow expanded public input and further review of the BECI proposal.
Project details and developer rationale
The BECI project – short for Bell Center‑Columbia‑Sugar Creek‑Illinois/Wisconsin State Line – would span roughly 190 miles across southern Wisconsin. Midcontinent Grid Solutions is developing the line, but no final route has been selected. The MariBell project would run about 140 miles between Marion, Minnesota and Bell Center, Wisconsin, passing through portions of Vernon and Crawford counties.
Developers argue that the 765‑kV lines are essential to strengthen the regional electric grid, improve reliability and meet growing electricity demand. Both projects remain under state regulatory review and would require final approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin before construction could begin.
Next steps for activists
No 765 Line organizers said they will follow up with legislators on commitments made during the Capitol visits and continue to push for changes to the state approval process before the projects reach the commission. “We’re going to hold the legislators to what they’ve told us they’re going to do today,” Johnson said. “We need to be prepared in the new year for what’s coming.”
The “Day of Power” marks a new phase in a campaign that began with landowner meetings, town‑hall discussions and local government resolutions. By bringing the issue to the state Capitol, opponents hope to shape the future of Wisconsin’s energy infrastructure while preserving the rights of families, farms and communities across the Driftless Region.
Original reporting: NBC15 WMTV (Gray) – local — read the source article.
