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Kaufmann likes ‘clean,’ not line; RICL defends against state rep’s remarks
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · January 31, 2014
State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann heard differing viewpoints from West Branch-area constituents about the Rock Island Clean Line that is in the process of acquiring land in the northeast corner of Cedar County.
Kaufmann, R-Wilton, said he supports the line but disagrees with Clean Line Energy Partners trying to get the Iowa Utilities Board to leverage their ability to acquire land through “bifurcation” — which he believes will weaken property rights and a landowners ability to negotiate.
“I am 100 percent against the way they are doing it,” Kaufmann told the half-dozen in attendance. “That does not mean I’m anti- or pro-wind. This is a Texas company’s attempt to roll right through (Iowa).”
Kaufmann said he met with company representatives who “told me they wouldn’t use bifurcation.”
“And three weeks later, they did,” he said.
Clean Line Energy’s Iowa manager, Beth Conley, said RICL representatives did meet with Kaufmann, but “I don’t believe we discussed bifurcation.”
She said they did talk about acquiring easements with landowners, and said they talked in December with Cedar County’s Board of Supervisors that they would not request legislation regarding bifurcation.
The IUB has already rejected a request for bifurcation once.
“(Bifurcation) sets a precedent to government stomping on our rights,” Kaufmann said. “This would make Iowa a mecca for trampling private property rights.”
Kaufmann said the RICL power lines will hang on large metal structures — “they’re bigger than the Statue of Liberty” — measuring about 300 feet.
Conley said the poles vary in size, from 110 to 150 feet. (The Statue of Liberty is about 300 feet tall from the ground to the top of the torch, which includes the pedestal; however the statue alone, from base to the top of the torch, is about 150 feet.)
Kaufmann noted that RICL carries wind-generated electricity through Iowa, but none of the towns along the route can tap into that power. Conley said the 3,500 megawatts will be generated in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota for communities in Illinois and other states further east.
“On-ramps and off-ramps are very expensive,” she said. “We are a direct transmission line, and there is a significant market for northwest Iowa wind. In Iowa, our demand for power is already being met.”
Kaufmann also noted that constituents have talked to companies that spray crops from airplanes, and that these applicators are not willing to fly under power lines that cut through fields.
Conley said RICL’s conversations with applicators have told them that those pilots can work better with power lines that “stay on the cardinal points of the compass,” by running straight east-west or north-south.
“That’s good for them,” she said.
Applicators also want global-positioning satellite coordinates, she aid.
“It shouldn’t be a problem to fly near and treat fields where the lines are located,” she said.
RICL began acquiring easements for property in Cedar County at the beginning of January, she said.
Kaufmann said RICL might find less opposition to acquiring easements if they allowed cities to tap into the electricity.
“If they were smart, they would allow us to use it,” he said.
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