On behalf of Dairyland Power Cooperative, a member-owned wholesale power cooperative serving 800,000 residents in rural Midwest communities, we write this letter to reiterate our commitment to open, honest and respectful public engagement. We also write to unequivocally state that Dairyland’s highest priority is the safety of its employees, and violent threats and intimidation will not be tolerated.
Dairyland is co-developing the proposed MariBell Transmission Project, which is one segment of a much larger plan by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to modernize the region’s aging electric system for current and future generations.
Virtually all large infrastructure projects elicit public opposition and can become emotionally charged topics of public discourse. The MariBell project is no exception. We understand and expect landowners, families, businesses and local communities to have many questions and concerns regarding the proposed project. This expectation is founded not only in past experience, but on the fact that we and most of our Dairyland teammates and members live, work and raise families in the local communities where the project will be located.
Recognizing this reality, and because Dairyland’s mission is to “safely power our communities and empower cooperative members to improve the quality of their lives,” we prioritize community engagement and an unwavering commitment to open, honest, productive dialogue.
However, recent incidents and concerning security trends related to the project are impairing our ability to meaningfully engage with the people we are privileged to serve. In recent weeks there has been a noticeable increase in malicious and intimidating social media activity, with personal information about Dairyland employees shared online, which could endanger these individuals, their families and their neighbors. Violent rhetoric is unfortunately becoming more common and is escalating, with MariBell team members recently threatened with lethal violence, which led to police involvement.
Our employees already work in challenging conditions, where mistakes can lead to serious injuries and even fatal consequences. They should not feel threatened, or that their lives are in danger, when they are simply doing their jobs, which is providing electricity – a critical service that we all use each and every day.
If you are opposed to the project, that is fine and this letter isn’t intended to change your mind. We respect your opinion and your right to hold it. What we are doing is appealing for cooler heads to prevail at a time when it seems the distance between words and action is not a long road but an increasingly small step. Put simply, differences of opinion shouldn’t become dangerous.
We appreciate the many productive interactions we have had with those who have concerns or are opposed to the project. Dairyland’s commitment to community engagement is not diminished. At the same time, our responsibility to ensure the safety of our colleagues, their families and the public will always be paramount.
Thank you,
The Dairyland Executive Team