HOISINGTON — Clean Line Energy LLC are planning a wind farm in southwestern Kansas, and the company proposes transmission lines that pass through Barton County to carry energy to states farther east. None of the electricity will light Kansas homes but will result in an improvement of the power grid.
The Grain Belt Express Clean Line proposed transmission route, which will start in far southwest Kansas, runs west of Great Bend and north, following U.S. Highway 281 to just south of Russell, where it will jog east of that city. The transmission lines will run through private property, and land owners will be asked to sign legally binding agreements.
Michael Irvin, Kansas Farm Bureau Legal Foundation, held an informational meeting for landowners at the Hoisington Activity Center on Tuesday.
“Knowledge is power, educate yourself,” he said. “Think through this.”
He encouraged landowners to be vigilant and diligent before they make agreements with Clean Line and to have their own lawyer review contracts. While the construction period will result in jobs and an influx of income, there are additional considerations.
Land owners only have a short time to make written comments to the Kansas Corporation Commission-until  Aug. 28, 2013. A series of meetings were held with KCC and Grain Belt Express earlier this year, and the KCC will make a decision on siting by Nov. 17, 2013.
Irvin, who is a lawyer, said that the contracts are usually in perpetuity, which means forever. He also said that the once the proposed route is approved by the KCC, the land will fall under eminent domain, which means the property located on the proposed route can be condemned. In addition, the agreement will stay with the land.
“It’s coming,” he said. “I think Kansas will approve the project.”
At the fast paced meeting, Irvin had a large number of recommendations.
Included in this was educational information. The transmission line towers will range in height from 120 to 200 feet with a concrete base of approximately seven feet wide, depending upon the type of tower.
“Most of you will have two transmission lines on your property,” reminding farmers that the double lines will have a fall zone and to consider irrigation systems.
Irvin said that the transmission lines may interfere with GPSs in farm equipment and also reminded farmers that airplanes may have difficulty flying through fields.
Among his recommendations to consider were:
• To think about the future and the amount of compensation offered, considering increasing land values and inflation.
• Consider damage to wind breaks and CRP land.
• Payment of damages if a tower is inadvertently damaged during the farming process.
• To treat the contract like an oil and gas lease.
• Consider possible tax consequences.
• Decommissioning and taking down the structures in the event of bankruptcy.
• Consider routing near homes and request at least a 200-300 feet setback by Aug. 28, 2013 with the KCC.
A detailed map of the proposed siting route is available on the Grain Belt Express Clean Line website.