Was it just a month ago that spokespuppets from Invenergy claimed they were "very invested in the communities where we develop and build projects"?
Ya got a funny way of showing it, Invenergy. In fact, Invenergy continues to demonstrate that it puts its profits over the well-being of the people in the communities where it intends to build its Grain Belt Express transmission lines. I'm talking about Invenergy's continuing door-to-door calls across rural Missouri to seek landowner signatures on a "Survey Access Form." If you sign this form you "acknowledge" that Invenergy will enter your property to perform whatever tests and surveys it wants. I wouldn't sign this form even in a healthy environment, much less during a global pandemic.
Sure looks like Invenergy is in a giant hurry to do a bunch of very expensive tests and surveys. In fact, it's in so much of a hurry that it feels the need to send strangers out to call on landowners unannounced for the express purpose of getting signatures right now, today. This is not only annoying, it's downright unconscionable and dangerous during a time when we've been advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stay at home in order to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.
Last week, an attorney for two landowner groups sent a request to Invenergy's attorneys asking that the unannounced personal visits from land agents cease until the isolation restrictions are lifted.
Ya got a funny way of showing it, Invenergy. In fact, Invenergy continues to demonstrate that it puts its profits over the well-being of the people in the communities where it intends to build its Grain Belt Express transmission lines. I'm talking about Invenergy's continuing door-to-door calls across rural Missouri to seek landowner signatures on a "Survey Access Form." If you sign this form you "acknowledge" that Invenergy will enter your property to perform whatever tests and surveys it wants. I wouldn't sign this form even in a healthy environment, much less during a global pandemic.
Sure looks like Invenergy is in a giant hurry to do a bunch of very expensive tests and surveys. In fact, it's in so much of a hurry that it feels the need to send strangers out to call on landowners unannounced for the express purpose of getting signatures right now, today. This is not only annoying, it's downright unconscionable and dangerous during a time when we've been advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stay at home in order to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.
Last week, an attorney for two landowner groups sent a request to Invenergy's attorneys asking that the unannounced personal visits from land agents cease until the isolation restrictions are lifted.
Corona Virus Worries: Landowner Groups Ask Invenergy to Suspend Land Agent Visits
March 19 – Two landowner groups have requested that Invenergy temporarily suspend its practice of making uninvited personal visits to individual homes by company land agents seeking rights-of-way and survey permissions for the Grain Belt Express electric transmission project (GBE). The Missouri Landowners Alliance and the Eastern Missouri Landowners Alliance have requested the practice cease until such time as federal and state officials determine there is no longer any need for "social distancing" as a means of slowing the spread of the Corona virus.
The landowner groups have received several reports from individual landowners of GBE representatives showing up at their homes along the route unannounced and asking for their signature on a notice form to allow the entry of other unnamed individuals to perform numerous studies and tests at their properties. Other landowners have found information packets from Grain Belt Express left on their doorsteps.
“It is my understanding that no one can guarantee that keeping a distance of 3-6 feet from someone carrying the virus will necessarily prevent its transmission. And of course there is no guarantee that this distance would be maintained during the course of any conversations between the land agents and the property owner. For example, handing a business card or any other document to the landowner would bring the two individuals in close proximity, if not actual physical contact. Therefore, rather than take any chance at all of Grain Belt's agents inadvertently transmitting the virus to property owners, the most reasonable course of action at this time clearly would be to temporarily suspend all such in-person contacts,” said landowner attorney Paul Agathen in his request to Invenergy’s attorneys.
Landowners have reported that the visitors have presented themselves as real estate agents from other states working on behalf of Grain Belt Express, or agents of Contract Land Staff based in Texas. None of the visits have been made by people with local contact information, leading the landowners to worry about transmission of the virus from other areas.
“I’m not sure what the rush is here,” said Representative Jim Hansen (R-40th District). “Grain Belt Express isn’t approved in all states and has no designated connection point for its transmission project in Missouri at this time. There’s no need to sacrifice social distancing health recommendations in order to rush this project through.”
The landowner groups’ request stated that Grain Belt's desire to move the project forward cannot possibly justify even the slightest possibility of transmitting the virus from Invenergy agents to even one of the property owners. Some of the landowners are in the age category which would make them even more vulnerable to serious health problems if they should become infected. Landowners also worry about person-to-person transmission in their own communities via Grain Belt Express land agents, as well as the possibility of transmitting the virus from a property owner to one of those agents.
“A person traveling door-to-door across rural areas is unlikely to be able wash their hands between calls,” said landowner Jim Daniels of Wright City.
Landowners note that Grain Belt Express may still try to contact them via phone or mail in the meantime, but vehemently object to the current practice of spontaneous in-person visits that may spread the virus from person-to-person.
“We’ve been told to stay at home and isolate ourselves from others to stop the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Dennis Smith, Assistant Professor, Clinical Emergency Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia. “It defeats the purpose of social distancing to have strangers pulling up in the yard and trying to hand us business cards or permission forms. We don’t know where they’ve been, and we don’t know where they’re heading next. A time of national emergency to prevent the spread of a highly contagious virus is the wrong time to be going door-to-door.”
Instead of showing its "investment" in the communities it proposes would host Grain Belt Express through the use of eminent domain, Invenergy continued its visits, with additional reports filtering in at the end of the week.
Landowners in eastern Missouri say they were visited by a young woman from Kansas City (incidentally Missouri's virus hot spot with the most reported cases and the location of Missouri's first "stay at home" order). The woman was very friendly and chatted with a landowner about her own family (5 kids) and revealed she would be calling on landowners in the Amish community that same day.
There have been several media reports about Amish in other states continuing to have gatherings and maybe taking a different view of social distancing. The last thing they need is a Typhoid Mary, or maybe it's a Corona Cathy, potentially introducing the virus into their community.
In addition, several states have taken action to prohibit door-to-door energy sales during the pandemic.
But Invenergy is still going at it hammer and tongs.
What's it going to take to get them to show some concern for others?
Do you suppose if you knocked on the door of Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky (assuming you could even get to the door of one of his mansions) that he'd open the door and take business cards from you, have a chat and sign your papers, and then go back to his own family?
Not In Michael's Back Yard.
But he feels it's okay to send out a mother of 5 from a corona hot spot to visit unsuspecting landowners across the state and then bring whatever she may have come in contact with back to her own nest. What kind of monster is this guy?
Some landowners are now looking to protect themselves by emailing Invenergy's project manager and advising her to keep Invenergy agents off their property. Poor old Krista, you gotta admit she's got a hard job acting as a landowner punching bag to keep the riff raff away from her bosses in Chicago. But, hey, if it makes you feel better, go ahead and email her at kmann@invenergyllc.com. But don't hold your breath... she's been fabulously unable to provide answers or information requested by landowners to date. How effective could she possibly be at keeping landowners and land agents safe from the spread of coronavirus?
People's champion Wiley Hibbard is undeterred, however. He recently penned his own plea to Krista:
Landowners in eastern Missouri say they were visited by a young woman from Kansas City (incidentally Missouri's virus hot spot with the most reported cases and the location of Missouri's first "stay at home" order). The woman was very friendly and chatted with a landowner about her own family (5 kids) and revealed she would be calling on landowners in the Amish community that same day.
There have been several media reports about Amish in other states continuing to have gatherings and maybe taking a different view of social distancing. The last thing they need is a Typhoid Mary, or maybe it's a Corona Cathy, potentially introducing the virus into their community.
In addition, several states have taken action to prohibit door-to-door energy sales during the pandemic.
But Invenergy is still going at it hammer and tongs.
What's it going to take to get them to show some concern for others?
Do you suppose if you knocked on the door of Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky (assuming you could even get to the door of one of his mansions) that he'd open the door and take business cards from you, have a chat and sign your papers, and then go back to his own family?
Not In Michael's Back Yard.
But he feels it's okay to send out a mother of 5 from a corona hot spot to visit unsuspecting landowners across the state and then bring whatever she may have come in contact with back to her own nest. What kind of monster is this guy?
Some landowners are now looking to protect themselves by emailing Invenergy's project manager and advising her to keep Invenergy agents off their property. Poor old Krista, you gotta admit she's got a hard job acting as a landowner punching bag to keep the riff raff away from her bosses in Chicago. But, hey, if it makes you feel better, go ahead and email her at kmann@invenergyllc.com. But don't hold your breath... she's been fabulously unable to provide answers or information requested by landowners to date. How effective could she possibly be at keeping landowners and land agents safe from the spread of coronavirus?
People's champion Wiley Hibbard is undeterred, however. He recently penned his own plea to Krista:
Dear Ms. Mann,
I want you to know that in my opinion Invenergy's policy of continuing to have person to person contact with residents along the proposed route to be reckless and dangerous.
How do you explain bringing a person from New York through Texas then send her to the Ralls County Courthouse to come in direct contact with many people that work there. Or bringing an outsider from Kansas City to visit the Amish community. There are many such contacts by Invenergy personal.
I would appreciate an answer to why Mr. Polsky feels that during our National Emergency this type of perilous actions are needed by him.
If you can assure me that none of your employees or contract worker have not been exposed to the COVID-19 I will withdraw my objections.
Awaiting your reply,
Wiley Hibbard
Presiding Commissioner
Ralls County, Missouri
Bringing someone from New York (via Texas) to expose the people at the Ralls County Court House? Oh.my.word!!! New York is the national hot spot for the virus!
Why, Michael Polsky, why? What's it going to take to show concern and respect for Missouri landowners? Why don't you email him at mpolsky@invenergyllc.com and ask?
Why, Michael Polsky, why? What's it going to take to show concern and respect for Missouri landowners? Why don't you email him at mpolsky@invenergyllc.com and ask?
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