Nov 20 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Lewis Griswold The Fresno Bee, Calif.

About 200 people from Exeter, Farmersville, Lemon Cove and Visalia -- and even someone from San Francisco -- showed up at the Visalia Convention Center on Wednesday to show their opposition to a proposed high-voltage transmission line route.

Opponents asked a California Public Utilities Commission official, presiding at a public hearing, to reject a proposed 19-mile route for a line that Southern California Edison wants to build from Visalia to Lemon Cove, and instead select another route.

If Edison's preferred route is chosen, "there'd be a loss of 76 acres of prime citrus land, 5,000 trees and the loss of two wells" on property owned by Kaweah Lemon Co., said farmer Carol Cairns of Lemon Cove. "There'd be real jobs, real people affected, and the real loss of irreplaceable land."

Southern California Edison representatives were not allowed to speak at the hearing, which Administrative Law Judge Hallie Yacknin said was strictly for the public to voice its views. So far, she said, she has received about 600 letters and e-mails on the project.

Yacknin made no decision Wednesday on which route she would recommend to the commission, which has the final decision. The recommendation is due in May.

Edison hopes to have the line built by 2012. The company said the Tulare County area is one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, and the line is needed to bring more electricity. The proposed 200-volt transmission line would connect to an existing line that brings power from the Big Creek hydropower station in Fresno County.

Edison favors Route 1, which is north of Exeter and Farmersville and would cost $96 million. Route 2 north of Woodlake would cost $135 million. Route 3, following an existing high-voltage line corridor and passing above cattle grazing land, would be $165 million.

Most speakers urged the Route 3 option. But farmer Sherry Estabrooks said she lives next to Route 3 now, and she doesn't want to see more wires from her window.

"It will ruin my view and lower my property values," she said.

The pole towers would be 120 to 160 feet high, which Lucy Long, co-owner of a restaurant on Highway 198, said would harm scenic views and the tourist economy.

"We are the gateway to Sequoia-Kings National Park," Long said. "We get so many visitors from all over the world who comment on the scenic beauty of the area."

Farmersville, which is planning for an industrial park and a shopping center, filed a formal protest because the lines would affect its plans.

"Farmersville wants to build ... on property that will benefit Farmersville with jobs," said Margarito Santiago, a Farmersville resident. "There's no jobs with the proposal that Edison has."

The reporter can be reached at lgriswold@fresnobee.com or (559) 622-2416.

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