The owner of a large privately preserved spread in the Texas Hill Country is fighting to persuade regulators to change the route of a planned electric transmission line.
The Austin American-Statesman reported Sunday that the line is slated to cross part of the Hershey Ranch, 1,561 acres donated as a land trust to prevent future development.
Officials say the line is about 13 miles long and is meant to support the growing electrical needs east of Fredericksburg.
The owners of the ranch have appealed to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, saying the transmission line is at odds with the ranch's role in wildlife habitat protection.
But PUC officials say the chosen route reduces wildlife habitat fragmentation and provides the maximum distance from homes.
