Restoring Lands Urges ATC to Reroute Transmission Line to Protect Permanently Conserved Lands

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

The Restoring Lands' County Line preserve is one of several preserved properties that would be impacted by ATC's preferred transmission line route.

West Bend, WI. — Restoring Lands today issued the following statement regarding proposed transmission line routes by American Transmission Company (ATC):

“Restoring Lands stands firmly opposed to any development that violates the integrity of our permanently conserved lands, and we are prepared to defend them.

We support environmentally informed siting of transmission infrastructure—aligning new projects with existing utility corridors and avoiding sensitive conservation areas, including our preserves and easements. These community-funded lands represent decades of planning and investment and contain some of the region’s most critical habitats.

We have urged ATC to pursue its eastern alternate route, which would better align with environmental and community goals.

ATC’s current preferred route would cut directly through lands entrusted to our care—forever-protected areas that cannot and should not be compromised.”

Background

Founded more than three decades ago, Restoring Lands (formerly Ozaukee Washington Land Trust & River Revitalization Foundation) has permanently protected and restored thousands of acres of natural lands throughout the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan basins.

With support from private donors and public partners, Restoring Lands has created more than 40 of the region’s most beloved nature preserves—spanning from Sauk Creek Nature Preserve in Port Washington to Lion’s Den Gorge, and across dozens of Milwaukee River preserves in Washington, Ozaukee, and Milwaukee Counties.

Tom Stolp, Executive Director

www.restoringlands.org | 262-338-1794