Letter: Holy Cross Energy is back in Minturn
Our least favorite project is back again, as quiet as before.
Holy Cross Energy is requesting an easement from the town of Minturn on Wednesday, May 18. This project has been in the National Environmental Policy Act process for almost five years — as such Colorado is a much different place. We have had our biggest wildfires since the inception of this project.
Holy Cross Energy has refused to engage Eagle County as a whole. Even after speaking in collaboration with the town of Minturn at an Eagle County Board of Commissioners meeting with town managers in 2019 where Gypsum, Eagle and Edwards (Avon and Vail were absent) all pledged for a county-wide solution. Holy Cross is still requesting the same errant path for the line. This includes overhead, uninsulated lines at Homestake Peak football field that then run above ground parallel to the Evercrisp trail, crossing over the highway at the confluence of the Gore/Eagle river and behind the only upper valley gun range.
These lines will not be on current 35-foot poles, but new 75-90 foot poles, that require 50 foot each side of clear-cut. This will be a blight on the hillside above Dowd Junction, Two Elk and the scenic byway to Red Cliff.
Holy Cross Energy is also proposing to dig up the new Minturn Bike park to bury the lines directly under — since it was built after their original submittal.
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I don’t want myself or my family to hike, bike, fish or shoot with these power lines.
Amanda Mire
Minturn
