MSC News

MSC News National Headlines Sports Top Headlines CBS US News CBS Technology

Printer Friendly

Email to a Friend

Opposition To Planned Power Line Grows

By Brian Hagen

05/20/2013

(KMZA)--Concerns of property rights, and safety, are key factors in the growing local opposition to the proposed installation of the Grain Belt Express overhead electric power transmission line.

While no definite route for the line is yet finalized, there are currently three pending options, with a decision planned to be made by July 1st, and then submitted to the Kansas Corporation Commission for approval.

All three proposals would place the line above local northeast Kansas properties, including those in Marshall County, where a petition of opposition is currently circulating. It requests that the Kansas Corporation Commission deny the route, stating that it's a “serious abuse of state power to use eminent domain to take land to build a for-profit private transmission line that will mutilate the landscape and farmground without providing any electricity to local communities.”

The line would carry wind-farm generated power from southwest Kansas to out of state eastern areas.

John Broxterman is a Marshall County farmer, and a member of the oppostion group known as CLEANR, which stands for Coalition for Landowners, Environment and Natural Resources(Play Audio)

Broxterman says opponents also question potential health, or safety issues, the 600,000 kilovolt transmission line could pose(Play Audio)

The Kansas Corporation Commission plans to hold summer public hearings regarding the application submitted by Texas-based Clean Line Energy.

You will need to be logged in to leave a comment.

Please Login

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited.

Click here to review our Terms of Use.