The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance Newsletter
  September 6, 2013
 
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Easements 

    

The first 6 Informational Meetings in the following counties have been held:

August 20, 2013 - O'Brien and Clay County  

August 21, 2013 - Palo Alto and Kossuth County

August 22, 2013 - Hancock and Wright County 

  

If you attended a meeting in your county Rock Island Clean Line is now allowed to contact you and negotiate with you to obtain a voluntary easement.  

 

IMPORTANT: RICL does not possess the power of eminent domain (condemnation). RICL cannot request that authority from the Iowa Utility Board until it has completed all informational meetings (10 have not been scheduled yet).   

 Consider the following:

  • The Iowa Utilities Board will review how many land owners have signed voluntary easements.  It will be positive for RICL if they have secured large numbers of voluntary easements.  
  • You do not have to sign easements at this time - take time to consider and research all options and consequences. 
  • Talk with your accountant prior to signing any agreements.  Tax consequences may be different for voluntary easements versus eminent domain (condemnation).
  • If you sign a voluntary easement for your property; the section of  Iowa Code 478.15  regarding Reversion On Non Use may not apply to you.

 It is always recommended that when considering signing a legal document, that you should first review it with your lawyer and tax advisor

 

The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance strongly encourages you not to sign a voluntary easement at this time.   We are hard at work and with your support we are optimistic that we will be successful in stopping RICL.
File Your OBJECTION.
Click  to go to our website to get more information on how to file your objection electronically or by mail.
It is critical that as many objections as possible are sent to the Iowa Utilities Board. 
  
RICL stated at the Informational meetings:
"We think we will get 90% of the proposed route property by voluntary easements".  It is up to us to make sure that does not happen.  Contact the Alliance if you need help filling out your objection electronically or by mail. 

Informational Meetings

Informational meetings for the remaining 10 counties have not been scheduled yet.  The Iowa Utilities Board has stated that these will most likely happen in late November or early December. Continue to check our website for updated information on these meetings and what expect. 

 

The informational meetings that were held followed the same format. 

  1. Jim Sundermeyer from the Iowa Utilities Board presented information regarding the franchise process and landowners rights. The document with the exact information is can be found on the Legal page of our website. Click here to get that document.    
  2. Several individuals from Rock Island Clean Line presented information regarding the project.  This included Hans Detweiler, project development director, construction manager; routing manager; and the electrical engineer.
  3. Contract land staff reviewed an example of financial compensation for an 1/2 mile voluntary easement with 2 monopoles.  (Approximately $82,000)
  4. Question and answer period followed the presentation. Questions included multiple topics such as the health impact, livestock concerns, use of GPS, financial stability of RICL, eminent domain, alternative routes, attendance at public meetings, yearly payments, construction process and objection process.
  5. For more details from the informational meetings including questions that were asked and responses keep checking our website for an new informational document.
board of directors 
Board of Director members and Alliance supporters will be at the remaining Informational Meetings across the state.
   

Board members and Alliance supporters attended the first 6 Informational meetings and are committed to attending the remaining 10 county meetings. Look for more information and suggested questions to ask of RICL and Iowa Utilities Board in upcoming newsletters and on the website.

 
Go to our website to get more information.
Visit the new website for up-to-date information.  

 

Our goal is to provide you with the information you need all in one location.  Weekly updates will help keep you informed of what is happening across the state and in your county.  The website provides   a way for the Alliance to update you on a real time basis. 
Click here to visit website

 Web pages include:

  • General Information
  • Maps
  • Legal information
  • How to file your objection 
  • Eminent Domain
  • News
  • Governance
  • Next Steps
  • Contact Information
  • Photos

 
 
Membership
As of September 1st  the Alliance has over 70 different types of members, including lanowners, tenants, families,businesses,  and community members. 
  
Join Today  Next Steps 

 

Why You Should Join the Alliance:

 

With your support The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance will help you:

  1. Get the facts and stay updated
  2. Advocate on behalf of landowners, tenants, communities
  3. File objections
  4. Unified legal representation as a large group
  5. File a large group objection at the public hearing 

Click here to visit our website and learn more
 


Newsletter
Board of Directors
The Presevation of Rural Iowa Alliance
[email protected]
712-262-5229