Forest Service, Holy Cross to host open house on Avon-to-Gilman transmission line

The U.S. Forest Service on Monday put out the following press release on an open house on Monday, Oct. 4, to present information on the Avon-to-Gilman transmission line project being proposed by Holy Cross Energy:

MINTURN, Colo. (Sept. 27, 2021) – The White River National Forest and Holy Cross Energy will host a public open house Oct. 4 to share information about the proposed Avon-to-Gilman Electric (115-kV) Transmission Line Project. The open house will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Minturn Town Hall, 302 Pine Street.

The Forest Service’s draft environmental assessment of Holy Cross Energy’s proposed line is currently available for public comment. The Forest Service extended the public comment period through Oct. 22.

“The public will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the proposal as well as the Forest Service’s process for evaluating the portions that cross National Forest System lands,” said Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis.

The 8.9-mile line would run southeast from a substation east of Avon, pass through Minturn town limits, and terminate at a substation just above Gilman, an uninhabited old mining town on Battle Mountain. Holy Cross Energy is proposing the line to provide increased service reliability as the electrical load increases in Eagle County communities. 

The proposed line would cross 3.4 miles of National Forest System lands, about 2.2 miles of which would be above ground and 1.2 miles underground. The Forest Service decision only covers the portion of the proposed line crossing National Forest System lands.

The draft EA and information about how to comment are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57224. Comments need to be received by Oct. 22, 2021.