Aubrey Dunn (Deming) – It was a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday at the public meeting on the proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Line organized by New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn.
The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting that Dunn wanted to have meetings in Deming and Socorro to get public opinions and comments on the proposed transmission line.
The transmission line will have at least 89 miles – or 30 percent of the route – on state trust lands.
Dunn said he had the authority to prevent the line from using state trust lands, which would essentially shut down the project, if he determines it is not in the best interests of the state.
Residents from Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties, and from as far as Arizona, attended Tuesday’s meeting in the Luna County Courthouse.
Luna County rancher Joe Bill Nunn said the transmission line was nothing but an investment scheme using Luna County and southwestern New Mexico.
Mike Wear, a transplant from Arizona who said he lives adjacent to the Nutt grasslands, voiced his concerns on the environmental impact of the project.
And Las Cruces resident Francis Williams told the audience not to be fooled by the promise of jobs and encouraged residents to ask questions and get any promises made to them in writing.
If approved, the SunZia line will come into Luna County near Lake Valley, and a mid-point substation will be built seven-to-10 miles north of Deming, just off Highway 26.
The lines will turn west from the substation, and go just north of Black Mountain, then will follow existing power lines west to another substation near Lordsburg before following lines into Arizona and a substation near Casa Grande.
Dunn said he would take the public input and make his decision at the appropriate time, but said he had no designated timeline to make his decision.
The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting that Dunn wanted to have meetings in Deming and Socorro to get public opinions and comments on the proposed transmission line.
The transmission line will have at least 89 miles – or 30 percent of the route – on state trust lands.
Dunn said he had the authority to prevent the line from using state trust lands, which would essentially shut down the project, if he determines it is not in the best interests of the state.
Residents from Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties, and from as far as Arizona, attended Tuesday’s meeting in the Luna County Courthouse.
Luna County rancher Joe Bill Nunn said the transmission line was nothing but an investment scheme using Luna County and southwestern New Mexico.
Mike Wear, a transplant from Arizona who said he lives adjacent to the Nutt grasslands, voiced his concerns on the environmental impact of the project.
And Las Cruces resident Francis Williams told the audience not to be fooled by the promise of jobs and encouraged residents to ask questions and get any promises made to them in writing.
If approved, the SunZia line will come into Luna County near Lake Valley, and a mid-point substation will be built seven-to-10 miles north of Deming, just off Highway 26.
The lines will turn west from the substation, and go just north of Black Mountain, then will follow existing power lines west to another substation near Lordsburg before following lines into Arizona and a substation near Casa Grande.
Dunn said he would take the public input and make his decision at the appropriate time, but said he had no designated timeline to make his decision.
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