Feb. 25, 2026
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. — The Crawford County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution demanding detailed information from the developers of a massive high-voltage transmission line proposed for the Driftless Area, joining a growing wave of local governments mobilizing against the project.
Passed during the board’s Feb. 17 meeting, the resolution formally requests that Dairyland Power Cooperative and GridLiance Heartland reply to 18 specific document requests by March 15, 2026. The requested documents range from detailed maps outlining routing preferences to information regarding environmental sensitivities and projected impacts on electric customer bills.
Local Governments Mobilize Crawford County’s action reflects a broader regional pushback. The Kickapoo Valley Reserve Board adopted a similar information request resolution in January, noting that the proposed 765-kilovolt (kV) lines “create audible noise and visible corona discharge effects” and would add hazardous obstacles for migrating birds.
At least six townships across Crawford, Vernon, and Richland counties have also passed resolutions asking the developers for in-depth information. Other bodies have taken a firmer stance; the Houston County Board of Commissioners in Minnesota formally resolved to oppose the transmission facility entirely. In neighboring Vernon County, Supervisor Dave Eggen recently announced his intention to introduce a resolution in March explicitly denying the utilities entry into the county’s lands.
The MariBell Proposal The source of the controversy is the MariBell Transmission Project, a joint venture between La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative and GridLiance Heartland, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy. The project proposes building approximately 140 miles of double-circuit transmission lines carrying 765 kV and 161 kV of electricity. The segment would stretch from Marion, Minnesota, cross the Mississippi River at Genoa, and terminate at a substation in Bell Center, Wisconsin.
MariBell is the middle segment of a larger North Rochester to Columbia line, which was approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) as part of its Long-Range Transmission Planning Tranche 2.1 portfolio. The overall Tranche 2.1 portfolio represents a roughly $21.8 billion regional investment involving 24 projects. Developers maintain the project is critical to modernize the grid, increase access to cost-effective renewable energy, and meet a compounding regional surge in electricity demand.
The second portion of the transmission line that continues from the Bell Center substation (just south of Gays Mills) is referred to as the BECI project. Unlike the MariBell segment, this continuation of the line will be proposed, built, and managed by a different developer, Transource LLC, which is a subsidiary of American Electric Power.
While a final, confirmed route has not yet been established by Transource, the sources outline the following anticipated path and details for the project:
- The Local Path: The line is expected to travel from Bell Center up past the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and continue on to Hillsboro. This segment will directly impact additional areas of Crawford, Vernon, and Richland counties.
- The Regional Path: From the Hillsboro area, the line will continue east to the Columbia Substation near Portage, Wisconsin.
- The Southern Leg: After reaching Portage, the massive 765 kV line is planned to turn south and run approximately 200 miles to the Wisconsin/Illinois state line, terminating at a new substation called Sugar Creek.
- Easement Usage: Similar to the MariBell segment, it is highly likely that Transource will attempt to route the BECI project along existing 161 kV or 69 kV transmission line easements
Public Objections Opposition to the “mega-scale” line centers on its physical footprint, environmental threat, and underlying necessity. The project would require expanding existing 100-foot right-of-way easements to 200 or 250 feet and replacing 70-foot wooden poles with massive steel lattice towers standing between 150 and 200 feet tall.
Residents and local officials argue this infrastructure will irreversibly scar the unglaciated Driftless landscape, threaten the tourism economy, and devalue property. Opponents also routinely cite Dr. David Patton, MISO’s independent market monitor, who warned that the 765 kV buildout assumes an “extremely unlikely” view of future electricity use and contains “invalid benefits” for ratepayers, suggesting the project be delayed. Furthermore, many citizens fear the rural region is being used as a “sacrifice zone” to funnel power to massive tech data centers in urban areas, offering no local benefit.
Contentious Community Meetings The project has dominated local public forums for months. A November 2025 open house hosted by developers in Westby drew hundreds of frustrated residents, with local officials calling the crowded format chaotic and an “insult” to those seeking clear answers.
During a Feb. 19 presentation to the Vernon County Board of Supervisors, developers faced relentless questioning from local officials about the project’s true intent and routing. Supervisor Mary Henry sharply criticized the environmental risks to local watersheds and urged the developers to route the line down the interstate, stating, “We don’t want you”.
Most recently, on Feb. 22, the citizen opposition group “No765line” packed the Gays Mills Community Commerce Center with approximately 250 attendees. The meeting featured forensic real estate appraisers and eminent domain attorneys who advised landowners on how to legally challenge the taking of their property and fight inadequate compensation offers.
Approval Process Developers emphasize that the project is still in its early stages and no final route has been determined. They are currently conducting environmental studies and gathering public feedback.
The utilities have filed a certificate of need in Minnesota and anticipate submitting their formal Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) application—which must include a preferred and alternative route—to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in the third quarter of 2026. If state regulators approve the project, developers expect to begin construction in 2031, with a targeted in-service date of 2034.
Upcoming meetings:
Vernon Electric Cooperative’s 90th Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026
Location: VEC headquarters building
110 Saugstad Rd, Westby, VW
Registration: 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Pasta Dinner: 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Business Meeting: 5:30 p.m.
In January, VEC members Carl Volden and Travis Klinkner submitted a Proposed Advisory Resolution to the Vernon Electric Cooperative Board. This Resolution asks Dairyland Power many questions and for a presentation about their 765kV Maribell Project. This Resolution will be on the agenda at the annual meeting. Vernon Electric members will be able to vote on this resolution.
Dairyland Power Open Houses
The MariBell Transmission Project is hosting open houses for local communities. There will not be a formal presentation—attendees may come and go at their convenience. Project representatives will be available to answer questions and provide project-related information.
March 10, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Gays Mills Community Center
16381 WI Hwy. 131, Gays Mills, WI 54631
March 12, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Retreat Sportsman’s Club
E3460 County Rd. N, De Soto, WI 54624
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