Oklahoma House Speaker-Elect Kyle Hilbert filed House Concurrent Resolution 1001 Thursday, which vows to take all legislative action available to prevent the establishment of an eighteen-mile wide federal energy corridor in Oklahoma.
Coming just a day after Gov. Kevin Stitt indicated in an interview that he was considering “unplugging” from the Southwest Power Pool and would fight eminent domain for its planned regional transmission lines, Rep. Hilbert had support from other legislators.
“The people of Oklahoma will not stand for private landowners being forced to surrender their property through federal condemnation,” said Speaker-Elect Hilbert, R-Bristow. “There are state processes in place to get community input and engagement on pending projects of this nature and I urge anyone in the path of this proposed corridor to come and let their voices be heard tonight on this issue.”
The filing came as a town hall was scheduled Thursday at the Creek County Fairgrounds to discuss the proposed 18-mile-wide corridor, which could authorize the confiscation of private property to locate high voltage electric transmission lines via eminent domain.
Speaker Hilbert said he is committed to fighting against this NIETC designation and appreciates the support of his House and Senate colleagues who have already signed on as co-authors of the measure.
“Everyone in Oklahoma should be concerned by this federal land grab attempt if the NIETC designation is granted,” said Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow. “We stand ready to do all we can at the Legislature to stop it and look forward to working with a DOE under President-Elect Trump, who will better understand and respect private property rights while pushing American energy independence.”
“Oklahoma’s eminent domain laws and regulations provide a level of protection to the landowner that is non-existent at the federal level,” said Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene. “This also has the ability to hurt our local utility providers who fall under the regulation of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission while these NIETCs will be able to circumvent local rules and regulations, which is unacceptable.”
The HCR, which was filed in the House Thursday, will be co-sponsored by Sen. Grant Green in the Senate and will be considered when the 60th Legislature meets starting in February.
