The Buchanan County Commission on Monday decided to rescind an earlier resolution of support for the controversial Grain Belt Express power line project. But, officials agree the move will have little effect on the eventual outcome of the dispute.
Commissioners had originally split three ways on the proposition. Eastern District Commissioner Dan Hausman supports the project, but Western District Commissioner Ron Hook now opposes it.
Presiding Commissioner Harry Roberts hoped to remain neutral on whether the project should proceed. The commission adopted a resolution of support for the project in July, 2013, but Monday’s vote rescinds that resolution and substitutes another, which offers neither support nor opposition. (Click here to see the resolution)
But all three acknowledge their vote will have little effect on the eventual decision by state utility regulators, who have the final say.
“This was decided two years ago, before a lot of this information had been delivered,” Mr Roberts said. “The County Commission is very much about economic development, and meeting those needs, and so they obviously at that point provided a letter of support.”
“But, with some additional information that’s come about in the last 22 months roughly, I think we just feel more comfortable at this time being in a neutral position.”
Roberts says there’s still a lot of things we don’t know about the project.
“Obviously we don’t know what the route’s going to be, and that’s going to take some time,” he said. “Number two, we don’t really know how it’s going to be evaluated for tax purposes.”
“There’s just still some unknowns sitting there. And, there’s some question of DC power versus AC power, and what health concerns there might be. We’re no scientists here, so, I think more information will be helpful in the overall process.”
The change in Buchanan County’s position on the project leaves just one county in Missouri still supporting it (Randolph County).
Opponents of the project have cited safety issues because the support towers for the power lines, each 100 to 150 feet tall, could cut across their farms. They also suggest that all that direct current could cause health problems for humans farm animals. Supporters and opponents cite different studies that offer different conclusions on the health issue.
The Missouri Public Service Commission held numerous public hearings across the state on the project and there has been significant opposition at those meetings. The PSC staff also appears to be leaning toward denying the operator’s request to be designated as a Public Utility. If they receive that designation, the utility would then gain the power of eminent domain, which has many landowners along the proposed route worried about the future of their property.
A decision by the Public Service Commission is still pending.
On February 11, the PSC issued an order requiring additional information from Grain Belt Express / Clean Line. The list of documentation and information required in that order is substantial, and some of the information will be difficult to provide. For instance, the PSC wants a list of all properties on the selected project route in Missouri and which property owners have granted easements. The actual route of the power lines has not yet been finalized.
The PSC also asked for information on local, state and federal government approval of the entire length of the project, within and outside of Missouri. The order requires the company to provide the information by April 11, or if its not available, an explanation of when that information might be available. Other parties would then have 30 days to respond to the new information. You can read the order here.
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