Cape News

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has taken steps to counter federal actions that could result in the seizure of land from Missouri residents. On May 15, 2024, Senator Hawley sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and introduced new legislation aimed at preventing such federal interventions.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), spearheaded by Senate Democrats and signed into law by President Biden, grants the Department of Energy (DOE) the authority to designate new transmission line corridors. This power includes the ability to seize land from Missouri landowners for these projects. Recently, the DOE announced its proposal for a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) across Missouri. If this designation is implemented, it would enable the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve eminent domain for new transmission lines even if state regulators have previously denied them.

In his letter to Secretary Granholm, Senator Hawley urged a halt to this process in order to protect Missouri farmers and landowners. "This issue is important to farmers in my state, who have already had to deal with Invenergy’s attempts to build electric transmission lines through farmlands […] by designating a new NIETC in Missouri, you have chosen to federalize this issue and take any future consideration away from state regulators […] I strongly urge you to stop any further consideration of this project and listen to the farmers of Missouri," wrote Senator Hawley.

Following his correspondence with Secretary Granholm, Senator Hawley introduced the Protecting Our Farmers from the Green New Deal Act. This legislation seeks to permanently repeal provisions that allow federal authorities such as FERC overreach into matters traditionally managed by state regulators.

The Protecting Our Farmers from the Green New Deal Act proposes several key measures:

- Prohibiting FERC from issuing electrical siting permits where state regulators already have jurisdiction.

- Requiring FERC-approved electrical transmission projects minimize adverse effects on landowners and farmers while ensuring adequate compensation for any losses.

- Barring FERC from reviewing electrical siting applications previously denied by state regulators.

Further details can be found in Senator Hawley's full letter and text of the bill available online.