FAQs

Southline is being co-developed by Grid United and Black Forest Partners.

Grid United is an independent transmission company aiming to modernize the United States’ power grid to create a more resilient and efficient electric system that utilizes the nation’s abundant and geographically diverse natural resources to the benefit of all consumers. Our team is composed of energy professionals with extensive experience developing, designing, permitting, and constructing large scale energy infrastructure across North America. [Learn More]

Black Forest Partners initiated the Southline Project study investigation in 2008, performed detailed surveys of routes, environmental and cultural resources, conducted Stakeholder and one-on-one meetings, held regulatory agency consultations, completed 60 percent of the engineering work, and filed major state and federal regulatory permits. They also serve as the Project’s managing member. The Black Forest team has thirty years of investment and development expertise, ties to the local region, and a deep commitment to leveraging existing assets to advance infrastructure that maximizes benefits and minimizes impacts.

Yes. Improved reliability will help mitigate the financial impact of extreme weather events and the resulting economic damages. By increasing energy options for both states, the project will help consumers in both areas to accommodate the growing electricity demand. Additionally, an increase in transmission capacity will enable power flow from lower-cost regions to higher-cost regions, so customers may benefit from new sources of generation via the lower power prices and added reliability.

The Southline team has been actively engaged with Project stakeholders for more than a decade. As the Project moves to purchase the remaining rights-of-way, the Southline team will be engaging directly with stakeholders along the route. If you would like to get in touch with the Southline team, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Yes. We will purchase easements, but the land will still belong to the landowners and can be utilized for activities such as farming, grazing cattle and other activities that do not interfere with the operation of the line.

The Project will purchase a 200’ ROW from landowners along the proposed route. Additionally, the Project will purchase Additional Temporary Workspace (ATWS) as needed for construction.

We will separate topsoil from subsoils (if subsoils are disturbed) and preserve seeds of plants growing on the site, setting them aside for post construction replacement. The construction contractor(s) will conduct topsoil salvage and include all rocks and vegetation as vertical mulch. The depth of topsoil separation will be dependent on the soil type within which the reclamation activity will occur and will be identified by the construction contractor(s) and approved by the BLM Authorized Officer or his/her designated representative. Topsoil shall not be mixed with subsoil. Separation between salvaged topsoil and subsoils will always be maintained. Topsoil taken from areas of sensitive plant populations shall be stockpiled separately from other topsoil and replaced in the same location from which it was taken as soon as practical.

Reseeding will occur in compliance with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Landowners will also have the option to provide a specified seed mix.

There are no known health effects that result from transmission lines. Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are part of both our natural (e.g., the Earth) and electrified (e.g., a microwave) environments, and are present wherever electricity flows. High-voltage alternating current (HVAC) transmission lines produce different types of EMF, which also are produced by common household appliances and are non-ionizing (i.e., considered harmless due to their lack of potency). The EMF produced by a transmission line are highest directly under the conductors and dissipate dramatically with distance from the line.¹²³