CENTRALIA − U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley introduced his Just Compensation Act of 2023 on Wednesday after mid-Missourians were told they have to give up their land for the Tiger Connector of the Grain Belt Express to be built.
KOMU 8 News covered a landowner protest of the construction of the Tiger Connector back in August 2022. Fourteen months later, the Missouri Public Service Commission approved Invenergy's request to build, according to the Missouri Independent.
Mid-Missouri farmer Pat Semme is against the construction of the Tiger Connector.
"I don't understand why we've got to have these huge transmission lines when we already have electricity, and then I found out on top of it, that the majority of it is going to go out of state," Semme said. "Then it makes it even more offensive to think that you're going to tear up our neighborhood so that somebody out on the east coast can have electricity. I mean, that's pretty hard to swallow."
Missouri gave the power of eminent domain to utility companies like Invenergy in 2006 with a state statute. Last year, Gov. Mike Parson changed that statue by making it required for companies and state government to compensate landowners for 150% of land market value when using the power of eminent domain, instead of the usual 100% market value.
If Hawley's bill were to pass, Missouri residents would still receive 150% of land market value from state government or companies, but they would also be entitled to 150% instead of 100% if the federal government bought land.
This 150% compensation would go to any American landowner whose land was purchased by the federal government using eminent domain.
"It should not be the federal government can give corporations the right to come in and take Missouri farmers' land. I mean that should just not happen, but it is happening," Hawley said. "All across the state, these companies are coming in and they're taking the farmers' land, not paying them what the land is really worth, and Missouri's not really getting anything out of it."
Semme and her husband grow wheat, corn and soybeans on their three pieces of farmland in Audrain and Callaway counties, right where the construction is set to take place.
"What's so disturbing is, this is where we raise crops, a lot of crops, in Missouri. We are pretty much the grain belt in Missouri and they're running this stuff right through that land and tearing it up," Semme said.
While Semme will receive 150% of the market value for each of her pieces of land, she says the estimated market values are below what the land is worth. In addition, Semme won't see much of the money until construction is complete.
"They don't want to pay us the 150 [percent] all at once. They're going to give us 10% before they start. And when they complete the project then we can get the rest," Semme said. "Well in our age, I'm in my 70s. I don't want to wait for any of it. If they're going to come in and tear up my land, I want one payment and get it over with."
Invenergy says it has relationships with over 12,000 landowners, more than 80% of whom are farmers and ranchers.
"We know how to build, the right way, and that means treating landowners with respect and fairness," the company says on its website.
The Grain Belt Express also has support from the Associated Industries of Missouri. Ray McCarty, president and CEO, says the expansion comes at a time where businesses in the region are facing "increased risk for outages and higher energy bills due to more demand and less energy production."
“Bringing more power to the region is the best solution to manage this urgent challenge and we thank Grain Belt Express for responding to those needs," McCarty said.
Construction on the 36-mile Tiger Connector is expected to begin in 2025, according Invenergy's website.
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