Congratulations, Mayberry! Your entrenched opposition to Clean Line Energy Partners' transmission projects across the Midwest has pushed the company into the untenable position of having to perform massive eminent domain condemnations and takings. Of course, this would never be allowed to happen in reality. The political and public opinion costs would simply be too high. As well, Clean Line has not been successful in convincing all state regulators to grant it the ability to effect eminent domain takings.
Check mate!
Clean Line Energy's only hope at this point is to try to trick you into supporting a new scheme to steal your land.
Last year, Clean Line sycophants at the Center for Rural Affairs and the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with other "big green" and "big wind" players, published a self-aggrandizing "report" they arrogantly dubbed "America's Power Plan" (although no actual "Americans" were involved in its creation). In Clean Line's sponsored "plan," the important folks discussed several new ways to steal your land using eminent domain so that they wouldn't be forced to commit massive eminent domain takings.
One of the ways Clean Line wants to steal your land is called a "Special Purpose Development Corporation" ("SPDC"). A SPDC is a government-sponsored legal entity created especially to become the "bad guy" in an eminent domain situation. Instead of Clean Line stealing your land, a government-blessed SPDC will steal your land and sell it to Clean Line. The SPDC and the government that operates it will also profit in the transaction, paying itself a portion of the proceeds from the sale of your land.
Here's how it works:
1. State or local government, or even a private corporation with government-granted eminent domain power, forms a SPDC for a particular purpose, such as securing new transmission line rights of way across private property.
2. Landowners in the target area are given a choice:
a. Voluntarily deed their land over to the SPDC in return for "shares" in the corporation.
b. Refuse to voluntarily turn over your land and have it taken by the SPDC via eminent domain. You will not receive any "shares" in the corporation.
This allows your friends and neighbors who choose to join the SPDC to force you to sell your land for their personal profit.
3. Once all land is acquired, the SPDC sells it to Clean Line and distributes the proceeds to the "shareholders" of the corporation, after first paying all sorts of legal, financial and management fees for the corporation and the costs of its employees. There is no guarantee that a landowner's "shares" in the SPDC would be worth more at the end of this game than the landowner could expect to receive through traditional eminent domain processes.
It's all just a scam to encourage communities and local governments to take the fall for Clean Line's unconscionable land grab. It pits neighbors against neighbors in local communities and causes local strife. It absolves Clean Line from the consequences of its greedy action.
Don't be fooled by legal gibberish, fantastic promises of incredible riches, or empty claims of "better deals." Just say "no" to Special Purpose Development Corporations.
The coordinated and knowledgeable opposition to Clean Line across eight states CAN stop these projects. Hold on to your land -- you will be glad you did when Clean Line folds its tent and slinks back to Texas with its tail between its legs.
Check mate!
Clean Line Energy's only hope at this point is to try to trick you into supporting a new scheme to steal your land.
Last year, Clean Line sycophants at the Center for Rural Affairs and the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with other "big green" and "big wind" players, published a self-aggrandizing "report" they arrogantly dubbed "America's Power Plan" (although no actual "Americans" were involved in its creation). In Clean Line's sponsored "plan," the important folks discussed several new ways to steal your land using eminent domain so that they wouldn't be forced to commit massive eminent domain takings.
One of the ways Clean Line wants to steal your land is called a "Special Purpose Development Corporation" ("SPDC"). A SPDC is a government-sponsored legal entity created especially to become the "bad guy" in an eminent domain situation. Instead of Clean Line stealing your land, a government-blessed SPDC will steal your land and sell it to Clean Line. The SPDC and the government that operates it will also profit in the transaction, paying itself a portion of the proceeds from the sale of your land.
Here's how it works:
1. State or local government, or even a private corporation with government-granted eminent domain power, forms a SPDC for a particular purpose, such as securing new transmission line rights of way across private property.
2. Landowners in the target area are given a choice:
a. Voluntarily deed their land over to the SPDC in return for "shares" in the corporation.
b. Refuse to voluntarily turn over your land and have it taken by the SPDC via eminent domain. You will not receive any "shares" in the corporation.
This allows your friends and neighbors who choose to join the SPDC to force you to sell your land for their personal profit.
3. Once all land is acquired, the SPDC sells it to Clean Line and distributes the proceeds to the "shareholders" of the corporation, after first paying all sorts of legal, financial and management fees for the corporation and the costs of its employees. There is no guarantee that a landowner's "shares" in the SPDC would be worth more at the end of this game than the landowner could expect to receive through traditional eminent domain processes.
It's all just a scam to encourage communities and local governments to take the fall for Clean Line's unconscionable land grab. It pits neighbors against neighbors in local communities and causes local strife. It absolves Clean Line from the consequences of its greedy action.
Don't be fooled by legal gibberish, fantastic promises of incredible riches, or empty claims of "better deals." Just say "no" to Special Purpose Development Corporations.
The coordinated and knowledgeable opposition to Clean Line across eight states CAN stop these projects. Hold on to your land -- you will be glad you did when Clean Line folds its tent and slinks back to Texas with its tail between its legs.
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