On June 8 Administrative Law Judge Robert Haga chaired a public hearing of the California Public Utilities Commission on the proposed Lassen substation project.  Over 60 concerned citizens attended to hear and speak about this project. Most speakers objected to the expansion of the power lines feeding the Crystal Geyser plant and called for the undergrounding of these new lines that will march along the fields East of Old Stage Rd. Speakers also called on the CPUC to make Crystal Geyser, and not ratepayers, to pay for the power lines to the plant.  The proposed expanded power lines will be much larger and taller than the existing power lines and will have a very significant detrimental visual impact on this gateway road to the historic Mount Shasta fish hatchery, the Sisson Museum, Lake Siskiyou and the roads into the Pacific Crest Trail region. Undergrounding this stretch of power lines will make a remarkable improvement of the views in this entire area. Expanding these power lines would also be in contradiction to City General Plan Measure OC-7, which states in part:

" Implementation Measure OC-7.1(d): Require undergrounding of all new utilities wherever practical. Encourage other agencies and entities to underground their facilities. Where undergrounding is impractical, aboveground lines shall be located to minimize impacts on sensitive scenic areas."

We hope that the CPUC will hear the serious concerns expressed at this hearing and put these lines underground and have Crystal Geyser pay its fair share.