Statement from Kansas Farm Bureau on NIETC process

The following statement may be attributed to Kansas Farm Bureau President Joe Newland:

Kansas Farm Bureau has been engaged on National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) issues for nearly two years. Based on our grassroots policy, we have opposed the NIETC process, and we have opposed both of the proposed NIETC corridors in Kansas. More specifically, we oppose the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission being given backstop authority to override decisions made by our state regulators, and we oppose the use of eminent domain within these corridors. We have voiced our concerns over the 5-mile width of the proposed Midwest-Plains corridor, which overlaps the path of the already-approved Grain Belt Express transmission line, and because of feedback like ours, Invenergy has submitted a request to the Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce the width of that proposed corridor to a half-mile span. KFB is hopeful DOE considers these requests in its review and will continue to engage with all entities to either eliminate the proposed NIETC designations in Kansas or make them as narrow as possible.

The next phase of the NIETC designation process will involve DOE-led community engagement. We encourage our members, and other potentially affected landowners, to thoughtfully participate in this process and voice their concerns. When we learn more about that engagement process, we will share it.

If you would like to offer your comments to the Department of Energy for consideration, please do so at [email protected].

If you want to learn more about this and other current transmission issues, and our advocacy efforts, visit our Legal Foundation website.