Missouri House Passes Eminent Domain Bill

By an overwhelming majority, the Missouri House of Representatives passed HB 1062 yesterday.  The bill will prohibit the use of eminent domain for overhead merchant HVDC transmission lines.  The legislation now moves to the Senate, for committee discussion and vote.

Governor Parson has indicated that he supports the bill.

"I am a firm believer in protecting individual freedom and rights of private property owners, especially our farmers and ranchers," Parson said in a written statement to The Associated Press. "We will continue to stay engaged with the legislature to ensure that we are equipped to protect all Missourians from potential threats of government overreach for private gain."

This is tremendously good news for Missourians threatened by GBE.  The leadership and support they have received from the legislature will be remembered for a very long time.  That their elected representatives have stood by them means a great deal to these voters.

The issue has been well-played in the media, and yesterday a major newspaper weighed in with support for the bill.

The vote was bipartisan, and approving the measure was the right thing to do. The Missouri Senate should pass the bill, and the governor should sign it.

...we agree with Missouri Republican leadership that allowing a company to condemn property for this purpose is wrong. Clean Line Energy should negotiate fair agreements with property owners for any towers it needs, and pay for the land accordingly.

It should not use the threat of condemnation to browbeat property owners into accepting low-cost deals.

Their efforts should be applauded. Eminent domain must always be the last resort for projects of major public benefit, not the first step in making rich companies richer.

Perhaps Invenergy really doesn't want to buy Grain Belt Express after all?  Invenergy attempted to pluck this project out of the whirlpool of failure that was sucking it in for a reason.  Maybe now they'll cut their losses and move on?