WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Derrick Van Orden released the following statement on Governor Tony Evers response to his letter calling for a moratorium on the proposed BECI and MariBell 765-kV transmission lines through Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, claiming he cannot do anything about the projects. Read Van Orden’s full statement below.
“The reason a PSC exists is so politicians can hide behind bureaucrats.
Governor Evers appointed all three members of the Public Service Commission. Every single one. So when Tony Evers says he has no ability to influence what happens, Wisconsin taxpayers deserve to know why he is pretending to be powerless when the people making these decisions are his own appointees.
You can’t put a mailbox in the ground without going through the DNR, yet Tony Evers would have Wisconsin believe that nothing can be done to protect the Driftless Region from massive transmission lines being forced through communities that do not want them.
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Tony Evers has already authorized a 400-year property tax increase on Wisconsin families, but now claims his hands are tied when it comes to protecting the Driftless Region. After wielding the power of his office to raise costs on Wisconsin taxpayers for generations, he suddenly wants us to believe he is powerless. I call bullshit.
We asked Governor Evers in good faith to stand up for the Driftless Region. Instead, he pointed to a bureaucracy and washed his hands of it.
We will not give up the Driftless Region because Tony Evers is too cowardly to lead. Hell no.”
