Letters to Missouri Governor Continue

Dear Governor Parson:

We have been engaged in farming since 1978. In fact, to help make ends meet, one of us worked as a Social Worker for Missouri Department of Social Services Children's Division and Department of Health and Senior Services for over 25 years.

Nothing has been as threatening to our livelihood as Grain Belt Express-Clean Line. We have been strongly opposed to the project since finding out in mid-December 2013. Most upsetting is this company, a speculative merchant transmission line, was even eligible to apply to our Missouri Public Service Commission to become a utility company and take property through eminent domain.

As a farmer, you know the sacrifices involved to purchase a farm, nurture the land, and be good stewards to raise a crop or maintain pasture for cattle. We have implemented all of the technology to farm more efficiently and want to leave a legacy for our sons and grandchildren. The proposed GBE plan would devastate our operation as it is proposed to run through the middle of farms that are open and mostly tillable. The proposed 27 foot concrete piers below ground sickens us as we would lose our investment in conservation practices and production in the 200 foot easement, and anywhere the heavy construction equipment runs across the fields.
There are many other issues induding safety, inability to raise corn under the transmission line, loss of our technology (GPS), and the list goes on.

Missouri PSC has twice denied the GBE application. A third application is now in the hands of PSC commissioners for a decision. Now that GBE has started the sale of their company to lnvenergy, it seems very wrong for PSC to consider lnvenergy, a company that will not close on the deal with GBE until there is PSC approval, and the remaining 700 easements are obtained through eminent domain. Since Iowa has legislation to prevent eminent domain for merchant transmission companies, and Illinois Supreme Court has denied GBE and a sister company RICL as a utility, we are suspicious why lnvenergy would even want to buy GBE-Ciean Line. A more thorough investigation is needed.

We are not against renewable energy. But, wind does not need to be shipped in from Kansas, and not at the expense of destroying highly productive farmland in Missouri.

We are proud to have a Governor who stands for agriculture. Please take action within your power to protect property rights and landowners from GBE. We want to keep agriculture number one in Missouri.

Respectfully,
Kevin O'Bannon
Marilyn O'Bannon

Want to send your own letter to the Governor?  Missouri Rep. Jim Hansen is collecting them and promises to hand-deliver your letters to the Governor. 

Send yours here:

Rep. Hansen’s e-mail address: jim.hansen@house.mo.gov
Mailing address: State Capitol, 201 W. Capitol Ave., Room 111, Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806