Laserfiche WebLink
<br />o <br />('....J <br />if- <br />'-""')\ <br /> <br />~"~" <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />responsibility of settling upon a construction plan with which the great <br /> <br />majority of Estes Park residents was in favor, You m~ remember that the <br /> <br />Bureau arranged an informal public meeting here in Estes Park in August of <br /> <br />1948 at which time we discussed in considerable detail the alternate routes <br /> <br />I have shown in Exhibits "C" and "D", There were, of course, some objec- <br /> <br />tions to each of the alternates proposed except the underground cable <br /> <br />ro~te, which was demonstrated by us as being economically infeasible. <br /> <br />Route "A" was subsequently placed under contract on the bases that! (1) it <br /> <br />was far more economical to construct than the suggested underground cable <br />route, (2) it was the most satisfactory of the several possible overhead <br />line alternates; and (3) it was, in effect, endorsed by the great majority <br /> <br />'." <br /> <br />of property owners through the granting of right-of-w~ easements, I <br /> <br />mention these factors in justification of our proceeding with the erection <br /> <br />of overhead transmission lines at the same time that this public hearing <br /> <br />is being held, It must be recogni~ed that if we were to halt construction <br />at this time, damage claims unquestionably would be filed by the contractor, . <br /> <br />., <br /> <br />Of more harmful consequence, however, would be our failure to connect the <br /> <br />badly needed Estes Power Plant capacity to the existing transmission system <br /> <br />of the Bureau in northeastern Colorado. I want to emphasize that regard- <br /> <br />" <br />" <br /> <br />less of the fact we are now constructing Route "A" overhead transmission <br /> <br />lines, we can change our plans if adequate justification for a change is <br />developed at this hearing, I want to assure you that the outcome of this <br /> <br />hearing is in no way predetermined, and that your views as recorded in <br /> <br />the testimony will be fully studied by me and my staff, by Regional Direc- <br /> <br />,tor Batson, by the Commissioner of Reclamation, and by Secretary Chapman <br /> <br />in determining the final settlement of the issues we discuss today, <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />-, ,,' '.... <br />