The Champaign County Board of Commissioners has announced its opposition to the proposed Grid Growth Ventures 765-kV Transmission Project through Champaign County.
The commissioners cited concerns about the size of the proposed structures and potential impacts on property owners, farmland, local communities, future development and the environment.
The full statement from the Champaign County Commissioners appears below:
While we understand the need for reliable and safe power for our citizens, we do not believe installing huge numbers of massive 175-foot-tall structures, some 150 feet wide is consistent with our county’s comprehensive plan, landscapes and properties.
With the information We currently have, we do not want this transmission line routed through Champaign County. We have grave concerns about the potential impact on:
• Property owners and property values
• Farmland
• Local communities
• Future development and other unforeseen issues we may be unaware of at this time.This will permanently damage our area Property values, farming, drainage systems, wetlands like the Cedar Bog, and wildlife, are a few of our many concerns
We challenge the Ohio Power Siting Board, and the PJM to analyze why such massive power is needed in our semi-rural area, and what is the cause, for these lines to be run in our communities and farms. Our citizens are being asked to bear the burden of miles of our county farms and homesteads being forever changed. This not only affects the landowners who may be forced into housing these massive structures and lines, it also radically changes the lifestyle of those adjacent to the lines,
While we understand the final decision on a major transmission project is handled at the Ohio Power Siting Board, we feel it is our responsibility to represent Champaign County and our citizens and make our position known.
We also encourage all citizens to make their voice known by going to the public meeting on Wednesday, September 23 from 4pm-7pm at the county fairgrounds, we also encourage citizens to contact the Ohio Power Siting Board. These people work for us, and they need to hear from Champaign County citizens in great numbers. At the time of this release, there is no active case filed at the OPSB, but we expect that in the spring of 2027. We encourage citizens to politely reach out to the OPSB and eventually post letters in opposition to this project. You can go to https://opsb.ohio.gov/cases and put in Champaign County once the case is opened.
— Sincerely, The Champaign County Commissioners
