The U.S. Energy Department confirmed Friday to OK Energy Today that a controversial regional transmission line proposed for northern Oklahoma will not occur. Efforts collapsed somewhere in the line of decision-making in Washington, D.C.
The decision drew immediate reaction from Oklahoma leaders who had opposed the project. One pointed out another project, the Cimarron Link, an effort of Invenergy, remains in place.
The decision was revealed in a statement from DOE spokeswoman Kristen Nawoj in the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office.
“DOE can confirm that the proposed Delta-Plains National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor will not be moving forward in the designation process. A full list of the proposed corridors moving into Phase 3 of the four-phase designation process will be announced the week of December 16. The announcement will include updated maps and detailed geographic boundaries for proposed NIETCs moving forward in the designation process, will open a new public comment period, and will outline additional public engagement opportunities. The NIETC designation process will continue to maximize opportunities for public input throughout each of the phases to help DOE identify narrow geographic areas where transmission is urgently needed and where NIETC designation could help accelerate solutions.”
Whether the decision to shelve the controversial project was in direct response to opposition by Gov. Kevin Stitt, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and House-Speaker Elect Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, isn’t known.
OK Energy Today first reported the governor’s opposition to the use of eminent domain in development of the 645-mile electric transmission corridor intended to cross Oklahoma from the Panhandle to the Arkansas state line. He was followed by House Speaker Elect Kyle Hilbert of Bristow then by Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
The proposed corridor would span from 4 to 18 miles in width and the government intended to use eminent domain in its construction. One legislative leader called it a “land grab” while Attorney General Drummond said it was “overreach.”
“The threat of Federal Eminent Domain to property owners is classic federal overreach,” Drummond wrote in a letter sent today to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. “I will not sit idly by and allow it to proceed without exercising all lawful measures to protect the private property rights of our Oklahoma farmers and ranchers.”
Rep. Hilbert took further action by filing House Concurrent Resolution 1001 with the intention of taking all legislative action to stop the creation of the Oklahoma corridor.
“The people of Oklahoma will not stand for private landowners being forced to surrender their property through federal condemnation,” Hilbert stated. “There are state processes in place to get community input and engagement on pending projects of this nature—.”
“This announcement is a testament to the voices of Oklahomans who stood together to defend their land, livelihoods and local autonomy,” said Speaker-Elect Hilbert, R-Bristow. “The proposed transmission line would have imposed an unnecessary burden on our communities without clear local benefits, and we are pleased that the Department of Energy has recognized the concerns raised by our citizens.”
State Sen. Tom Woods, a Republican from Westville commended the landowners who fought the proposed transmission line and released a statement on Friday.
“No private property owner in our state should be fearful that the federal government will force them to surrender their land. I commend the residents of Sequoyah County and the thousands of affected Oklahomans who opposed this attempted federal land grab and worked to uphold the rights of landowners in our state. Their efforts send a clear message that Oklahomans will not tolerate federal overreach, and I’m thankful our efforts were successful in preventing the construction of this corridor.”
Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, on Friday celebrated the federal government’s decision to scrap plans for an energy transmission corridor through Oklahoma.
In light of news that the Delta Plains National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor won’t move forward, Murdock said he stands with local landowners in opposition to federal land grabs. The proposed transmission corridor would have stretched across Oklahoma from the Panhandle to the state’s border with Arkansas.
“Yesterday the U.S. Department of Energy notified me and other Oklahoma leaders of its decision to eliminate consideration of the 645-mile electric transmission corridor that the federal government had proposed running from Oklahoma to Arkansas,” Murdock said. “This corridor threatened the private property rights of our Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, who made their voices heard. I am proud to have stood side by side in agreement with Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Speaker-Elect Kyle Hilbert, and countless Oklahomans in successfully fighting this federal overreach.”
Murdock also addressed some questions from constituents about the similar but unrelated Cimarron Link transmission project. He emphasized Cimarron Link is separate from the federal NIETC initiative, and that Oklahoma needs an abundance of power to attract cutting-edge industries to the state.
“There is a place for responsible energy infrastructure development, but it must benefit Oklahoma and balance the property rights of Oklahomans,” Murdock said. “I am also appreciative of efforts by Invenergy for encouraging the Department of Energy to withdraw the corridor designation in the area of its Cimarron Link project, a transmission line that will bring power produced in partnership with farmers and ranchers in the Oklahoma Panhandle to serve the energy needs of Oklahomans.”
“Oklahoma has always been a leader in energy production and innovation, but we firmly believe that development must respect our communities and their voices,” said Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa. “While we are encouraged by this outcome, we remain committed to working with our federal partners to ensure that Oklahoma’s interests are respected in any future energy infrastructure decisions.”
The Cimarron Link project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs. Invenergy aims to invest millions of dollars in local communities while working with property owners to reach easement agreements that benefit both parties. Murdock said the company must also respect private landowners’ rights when constructing its transmission line.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Chuck Hall, R-Perry, released the following statement after the federal government canceled plans for a 645-mile federal transmission corridor that would have run through northern Oklahoma.
Plans for the corridor that would have crossed from Oklahoma’s Panhandle to the state’s border with Arkansas showed the transmission project could go through Kingfisher, Logan and Payne counties, which make up part of Hall’s Senate district.
“The Biden administration’s attempt to strip local landowners of their property for a misguided transmission corridor would have harmed Senate District 20 and all of Oklahoma,” Hall said.
“I brought my numerous concerns about this massive transmission corridor to Oklahoma’s Attorney General, and I proudly worked alongside a coalition of state leaders to fight this blatant federal overreach. I’m pleased to see the federal government finally listened to the voices of Oklahomans who overwhelmingly opposed this project. By working together, we sent a clear message that Oklahoma stands firmly with our farmers, ranchers and landowners in support of private property rights and against federal land grabs.”