Letter to the Editor

Reader cautions landowners against signing RICL easements

Letter to the Editor:

     The Rock Island Clean Line (RICL) is trying to convince landowners and the public their transmission line project is needed in Iowa. Why? Because the already billionaire investors of Rock Island Clean Line want to reap billions more in profits from this project and they want to take our valuable private property for this endeavor.

     This line will do nothing for Iowa’s infrastructure or energy needs. The line is not connecting to Iowa’s grid system and is merely traversing Iowa sending electricity to Chicago. The majority of wind farms supporting this line could very well be in South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota while the specialized labor force to build the line would be from other states and after completion, only 5 to 10 employees are needed to maintain the line.

     RICL claims they can’t predict profits on this transmission line project. Isn’t it strange they can predict all other such facts and figures such as costs to build, numbers of construction jobs and wind infrastructure revenue but they can’t predict investor profit potential? What lending institution or local government would accept that kind of flawed business model from any other potential start-up business? Is RICL trying to hide their profits from landowners and the public so landowners don’t get “greedy” and demand more compensation for their easements?

     Landowners who choose to put up a wind turbine on their property receive an annual royalty payment whereas landowners in RICL’s path are forced to accept a perpetual easement with a one- time payment. RICL’s claim of fairly compensating landowners with an annual easement payment option and 2 percent escalator is misleading. They don’t publicize the annual payment option is only calculated on the poles not the easement. Is RICL intentionally using this tactic to “pump up” their easement payment?

     Ag. Law Professor Roger McEowen and staff attorney Kristine Tidgren from Iowa State University’s Center for Ag. Law and Taxation have prepared a podcast outlining all the flaws and red flags associated with the easement contract: www.calt.iastate.edu/article/understand-easement-you-sign-it. They also advise landowners not to sign the voluntary easement contracts in their present form.

     RICL claims they want to avoid eminent domain for the sake of the landowners, but, in fact, it is RICL that benefits by not going to eminent domain. Taking property through eminent domain is a long complicated process that RICL does not want to engage in. Eminent domain would be costly, time consuming and laborious for RICL.  Landowners have better protections and rights through Iowa’s statute rather than RICL’s easement contract.

     It’s also interesting that RICL claims the project will benefit the counties and state with loads of tax revenue and yet they are seeking tax abatements.

     It seems RICL will say and do almost anything to garner support for this project. Beth Conley, project manager for RICL, stated in last week’s Hampton Chronicle their open houses were well attended. I attended several of those open houses and I can assure you they were not well attended. And of those people that did attend, many revealed to me their distrust and downright disgust with this company and the project.

     Taxpayers, electric consumers and landowners will be the big losers from the RICL transmission line. Taxpayers are forking out billions of dollars in wind subsidies so billionaire investors can take thousands of acres of private property by eminent domain for their own economic gain. The transmission line will de-value thousands of landowner’s property, mainly farmland, causing hardships for those private businesses.

     Wind energy is more expensive than conventional power so besides paying the high cost of wind subsidies, taxpayers and consumers will be burdened with the high cost of wind energy.

     Don’t be fooled! Do NOT sign a voluntary easement with this company!

Kim Junker

27222 110th St

New Hartford