Publisher’s Perspective

By Tim Douglass, Publisher

The Barsness Buckthorn Brigade volunteers made quick work of providing an inventory of ash trees on city right of way in Glenwood.

Teams of volunteers walked the streets each day, starting last Tuesday and used a cellphone app to document ash tree location, size and condition. The inventory will provide the city with valuable information in light of the emerald ash borer being confirmed in Pope County.

What we’ve learned from the inventory so far, unofficially?  There are a lot of ash trees in Glenwood and most of them seem to be doing well at this point. That doesn’t mean that the trees will escape the effects of emerald ash borer, but it may mean the city has some time to plan for removal of sick trees, and come up with a plan to treat or replace those trees.   Trees are an asset to any city.  Most of us lived through the devastation of Dutch Elm disease and how it decimated many elm trees almost overnight.  None of us wants to see that sort of tree devastation again.

Thanks to the brigade for its volunteer work and thank you to the city for being pro-active by instigating an inventory of ash trees so that we’re ready to make a good plan when the time comes.

            * * * *

We received a news release late last week and although it couldn’t run in its entirely in this issue, we wanted to put the gist of it in this space.

The release came from Ottertail Power Company and Great River Energy.

“Several regional energy companies are moving ahead with a new high-voltage transmission line that will increase the capability of the transmission system to reliably meet customer demand and deliver energy within the Upper Midwest, following Thursday’s unanimous approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

“The new line, called the Big Stone South-Alexandria-Big Oaks project, will reduce congestion on the grid to make it operate more efficiently and ensure continued reliable electric service and system resilience. The project is a collaboration between Great River Energy, Minnesota Power, Missouri River Energy Services (on behalf of Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency), Otter Tail Power Company and Xcel Energy.

The new transmission line is being developed in two segments, with the western segment, led by Otter Tail Power Company, connecting the Big Stone South substation in northeastern South Dakota with the Alexandria substation in central Minnesota and the eastern segment, led by Xcel Energy, continuing from the Alexandria substation to a new Big Oaks substation near Becker, Minnesota.

“The western segment, which will run approximately 100 miles between northeast South Dakota and Alexandria, Minnesota is being developed by Otter Tail Power Company and Missouri River Energy Services as double-circuit capable.

Although the line’s route has not yet been formally determined, “the two energy providers plan to file a Route Permit application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for the western segment later this year. They also filed a Facility Permit with the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission in April 2024 and expect a decision in April 2025. Construction is estimated to be  complete by the end of 2031.”