More on School Closing Due to Heartland Line
Colchester Elementary School Parents Association President, Gabe Chemello, says that students staying in the school with an overhead Heartland power line so close to the school is simply not an option (iNews 880). Parents are worried about the hundreds of studies that document increased health risks of overhead high voltage power lines, especially to young children whose immune systems are not yet fully developed.
Numerous pipelines with highly flammable contents and subject to significant explosion risks within 30m of an overhead Heartland line, are located close to the school as well. Many interveners at the AUC Heartland hearing last Spring pointed out these health and pipeline risks; unfortunately AltaLink, EPCOR and the AUC chose to ignore them.
The Heartland line is not needed, as pointed out by industrial consumer groups, Alberta landowner groups, Strathcona County Council, Edmonton City Council, Sturgeon County Council, Alberta Industrial Heartland Association, RETA, many other stakeholders, and even AltaLink’s and EPCOR’s own data which show the line will be energized to only 15% of its capacity.
However, if the Alberta Government insists on this line getting built, it must be buried when it runs near schools, homes and hospitals.
