Now’s your chance to oppose Clean Line

Rock Island Clean Line has completed its dance across Iowa with formal meetings. They gave us their reasons why a high-voltage transmission line is a wonderful thing for land owners and the state of Iowa. Having attended all but two of those meetings, I still have unanswered questions.

If you oppose this line now is your chance to do something. Once a line like this goes through, it will be there forever. Your great-great-grandchildren will be farming around it and under it with unknown health ramifications.

Rock Island is negotiating voluntary easements and can soon file with the Iowa Utilities Board for a franchise. They have up to two years to file but will likely do it as soon as early spring. Once filed, there is limited time to get your objections to the utilities board. Don't let time run out.

Clean Line will have to use eminent domain to get all the easements. There is too much opposition for them to not have to use it. Do not sign a voluntary easement without legal representation and check into tax liabilities. You will not get less money if they use eminent domain. In fact, you will probably get more. I ask you, does a “profit, non-regulated, merchant line” have the right to take from Iowans what we hold so dear? Our farmland and the ability to farm it unhindered. Our quality of life. To change what many of us cherish, our view and the serenity of our country homes?

Diane Darr

Ayrshire