RESOLUTION NO. 2026-001
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-001
RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE SITING AND CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSED POWERON MIDWEST 765kV ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINE ROUTES WITHIN 2000 FEET OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AND/OR CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS THROUGH VERNON TOWNSHIP
At a meeting of the Township Board of Vernon Township of Grant County, South Dakota, held on the 29th day of September, 2026.
PRESENT: Tim Wollschlager, Matt Loeschke, Lowell Boe, Chuck Wollschlager, and Craig Wellnitz.
ABSENT: None.
The following resolution was moved by Matt Loeschke and seconded by Lowell Boe.
WHEREAS, PowerOn Midwest has submitted an application to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (SDPUC Docket #EL26-026) for a portfolio of ultra-high-voltage electric transmission projects throughout eastern South Dakota and southern Minnesota, including in Vernon Township of Grant County, South Dakota; and
WHEREAS, PowerOn Midwest has identified the following routes through Vernon Township of Grant County, South Dakota to construct a 765kV electric transmission line requiring a 250-foot-wide right-of-way and structures with heights ranging from 150-175 feet and width from 135-145 feet; and
WHEREAS, preliminary routing options for this project significantly impact the natural and residential landscape of Vernon Township, including sensitive ecological areas and established neighborhoods including churches, schools, daycares, parks, and places of business; and
WHEREAS, the construction and maintenance of such lines would require heavy excavation of agricultural land resulting in damage to property, altering both overland and underground water flow, and impacting farming and livestock operations and safety; and
WHEREAS, the Township Board is concerned that construction and long-term maintenance access for a 765 kV transmission line will require these Township roads to be upgraded and maintained to a higher standard, resulting in new and unfunded recurring costs to the Township for snow removal, gravel, and road maintenance that were not contemplated in the Township’s budget or levy; and
WHEREAS, construction activity associated with the project is likely to damage the surface and subgrade of Township roads, and the Applicants have not identified who will bear the cost of restoring those roads to usable condition following construction; and
WHEREAS, the project poses a direct threat to critical streams, wetlands, and riparian zones, negatively impacting biodiversity, wildlife, and impeding recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, the imposition of industrial-scale infrastructure in proximity to residential properties is expected to diminish aesthetic character, cause long-term negative audio and visual effects, and have a negative financial impact on property values in Vernon Township.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF VERNON TOWNSHIP OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, that Vernon Township formally opposes the siting and construction of proposed PowerOn Midwest 765kV electric transmission line routes within 2,000 feet of residential properties and/or concentrated animal feeding operations as currently routed through Vernon Township;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Vernon Township urges PowerOn Midwest and the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission to prioritize alternative routes that avoid residential areas, public parks, concentrated animal feeding operations and sensitive environmental preserves to minimize negative impacts;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Board requests the Commission to require the Applicants to identify all Township roads within the study area or otherwise below a standard adequate for construction and long-term maintenance traffic, and to enter into a binding road-use and restoration agreement with each affected road authority, addressing both construction-related damage and any ongoing maintenance burden created by the project, prior to the issuance of any route permit;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Board is very concerned for our residents and request the Commission weigh the impacts described herein, including the negative visual impact of lines this size, noise from the transmission lines, EMF exposure, drain tile disruption, soil compaction, eminent domain, stress on our farming families, and property devaluation, as part of its review of the Certificate of Need Application;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be transmitted to PowerOn Midwest and the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, along with an attached letter detailing the impacts outlined in this resolution.
ADOPTED: YEAS: Tim Wollschlager, Matt Loeschke, Lowell Boe, Chuck Wollschlager, and Craig Wellnitz.
NAYS: None.
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
COUNTY OF GRANT
TOWNSHIP OF VERNON
I, the undersigned, the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the Township Board of Vernon Township of Grant County, South Dakota, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and complete copy of resolution no. 2026-001 adopted at a regular meeting of the Township Board on the 29th day of September, 2026.
/s/Tim Wollschlager
Chairman, Vernon Township
/s/ Matt Loeschke
Supervisor, Vernon Township
/s/ Lowell Boe
Supervisor, Vernon Township
/s/ Craig Wellnitz
Clerk, Vernon Township
October 7 October 14
