Landowner opposes RI Clean Line

As a landowner near Martelle, a few comments regarding Rock Island Clean Line, a private enterprise proposing to run a 500-mile overhead transmission line across much of the state, which includes our land.

This results in cannibalizing many acres of farm land by erecting structures up to 150 feet tall and 200 feet wide accomplished through property easements which land owners are compensated for but less than market value. I am opposed to this proposal. RICL filed with the Iowa Utilities Board on Nov. 6 for a franchise and will use eminent domain to obtain all of the easements.

To my business friends and owners, this is analogous to a private entity approaching your business and saying we want to change your way of producing a certain product or way of doing business and if you don't we will petition a governmental agency and use eminent domain to achieve our goals.

Farmers and landowners have poured their blood, sweat and tears into land and are proud of it. The numbers do not add up to RICL's proposal to deliver wind to Illinois (end of line is Morris, Ill.). As far as jobs, RICL has nothing definitive to say except this project will create hundreds. They plan on bringing their own people to maintain the transmission lines.

Join me in opposing this project. The initial written objection would be to the Iowa Utilities Board and secondly to the Iowa senators, legislators and governor.

Scott Newman

Cedar Rapids