The Illinois Commerce Commission will hold three public forums on Clean Line Energy's proposed Grain Belt Express transmission line later this month. The first will be on Tuesday, July 28 at 5 p.m. at the Pike County Farm Bureau office at 1301 East Washington in Pittsfield.

 

The hearings are set in communities in the western, central and eastern portions of the state in order to reach out to Illinoisans who would be directly affected by the proposed transmission line. As proposed, the line would run through Pike, Scott, Greene, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Shelby, Cumberland and Clark counties.

 

Clean Line Energy is asking the ICC to grant a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" for the 780-mile long overhead line that would begin in Kansas and tap into a power grid in Indiana. The development schedule calls for construction to begin in 2017 and be completed and transmitting electricity in 2019.

 

ICC Administrative Law Judge Janis VonQualen will preside over the forums and ICC Chairman Brien Sheahan and Commissioner John Rosales will be in attendance. The forums will have two parts; the first part of the forum will be an opportunity for the public to provide oral and/or written comments into the record. This portion will last for 90 minutes and each speaker will have a 3-minute time limit. After the public comment portion, ICC staff will conduct an informal question and answer session.

The House on Thursday approved H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, on a 275 to 150 vote. Passage of this legislation is a priority issue for Farm Bureau.

 

"Congress stood with farmers and ranchers today in supporting innovation that helps the environment and keeps food prices down for everyone," AFBF President Bob Stallman said in a statement. The legislation protects consumers from confusing and misleading GMO labels and will create a national, voluntary labeling standard based on science and common sense.

Governor Bruce Rauner issued an official letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack today requesting all counties in Illinois experiencing crop damage related to recent flooding be included in a Secretarial Disaster Declaration.

 

 "I commend Governor Rauner for taking swift action to help farmers across the state who are experiencing hardships due to the record rainfall we received," said Director of Agriculture Philip Nelson. "After touring some of the hardest hit areas in the state this week, it is noticeable that we will see considerably lower crop yields in those areas this year."

 

The State Emergency Board will convene on Monday, July 27 to review the county emergency board minutes and loss assessments in preparation for determining county eligibility. The Illinois Department of Agriculture will continue to assist FSA in securing benefits for farmers who are impacted by flooding. A Secretarial Disaster Declaration would provide farmers in designated counties the ability to receive low interest emergency loans if they meet all eligibility requirements.

 

The Illinois River dropped below major flood stage this week--the first time since June 24. The Mississippi River dropped to below flood stage this week allowing the Sny Island Drainage District to open gates allowing the Sny to flow directly into the Mississippi River.

 

Both Pike and Scott counties have seen significant crop damage from not only flooding in the drainage districts but to excessive rain, deficient heat and sunshine and storm damage.