A proposed power-line project through southern New Mexico and Arizona is one step closer to approval. The agencies working on the project will release the final environmental assessmentTuesday.
The project would include 360 miles of new and upgraded power lines running from just south of Las Cruces, New Mexico through just south of Willcox, Arizona. The Southline Transmission Project is intended to provide reliable electricity and lay the groundwork for renewable energy.
Mark Mackiewicz, with the Bureau of Land Management, said the route was shifted to avoid a Buffalo Solider Electronic near Fort Huachuca.
“Working closely with the Department of Defense, we reached a compromise in keeping the line as far away from the facility as we could,” Mackiewicz said.
Southline also reached a tentative deal with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to create a better wildlife habitat away from the proposed route. Under this compromise, the man-made Crane Lake would be moved a mile west for the birds' safety.
Wine growers near Willcox are also satisfied with the proposed power line route. Attorney Bob Lynch represented some of those vineyard owners.
“This has been a good step for us and for them,” he said. “This has been a pretty rocky year, and they want to see closure on this thing before they get too excited.”
The project isn’t a done deal, but the environmental assessment is one of the primary considerations for final approval. If the project gets the go ahead, construction is scheduled to start in the next few years.
