Photo by Steve Licht

The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance Newsletter

November 27th, 2013

IMPORTANT NEWS !!!

The Iowa Utilities Board denied RICL's Motion to Bifurcate

This week the IUB denied RICL's motion to bifurcate the Franchise process. This decision was based on the resistance to bifurcate by Alliance Lawyers.

Click to read the document outlining the motion, resistance to the motion and the detailed decision by the IUB. For more information and to read more about the Motion to Bifurcate read the October Newsletter located on our website.

This is the conclusion:

Based upon a consideration of all of the relevant factors, the Board finds that Clean Line has not shown good cause for bifurcation of this matter to separate the eminent domain issues from the rest of the issues in this proceeding. Any inconvenience to Clean Line from denial of bifurcation is relatively insignificant when compared to the significant and unavoidable inconvenience to all other stakeholders if the proceeding were bifurcated. The motion for bifurcation will be denied.

This is one of the many things that the Alliance will do in support of landowners, tenants, businesses, families and community members as we work with Alliance lawyers to stop RICL.

Community Meetings.

The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance is looking for places to hold community meetings to help people understand their rights, how to objection, the franchise process and how to assist in stopping RICL.

A meeting was held in Parkersburg on Monday November 25th at 7pm Over 150 people attended to hear more information on what steps need to be taken in each community to assist in stopping RICL in Iowa. People who attended also received information about how to file objections,objection filing timeline, the franchise process, easements, what the Alliance is doing and information on Top Things to Do .

Click to read objection process and timeline.

Click to read Top Things To Do.

Learn More on how to have a meeting in your community.

Upcoming meetings:

Tipton: December 2nd, US Bank 102 East 5th Street, Tipton

Latimer: Decembr 17th, Latimer Community Center, 104 N Akir Street, Latimer

RICL Land Agent Conduct

It is important that land agents from RICL abide by the "Code of Conduct" that RICL states they have signed. Click to read the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct includes things such as:

All communications with property owners and occupants must be factually correct and made in good faith. Do provide maps and documents necessary to keep the landowner properly informed

Do not make false or misleading statements
Do not misrepresent any fact. If you do not know the answer to a question, do not speculate about the answer.
Advise the property owner that you will investigate the question and provide an answer later.

All communications and interactions with property owners and occupants of property must respect the privacy of property owners and other persons.

Discussions with property owners and occupants are to remain confidential.
Do not discuss your negotiations or interactions with other property owners or other persons unaffiliated from Rock Island Clean Line LLC.
Do not ask relatives, neighbors and/or friends to influence the property owner or any other person

We stand for informing landowners, businesses, tenants, families and community members of their rights which includes understand how RICL Code of Conduct must be followed to prevent anyone being taken advantage of when signing a voluntary easement.

If you feel like land agents have not followed this code of conduct please contact the Alliance for support and more information.

Beving, Swanson & Forrest ,P.C. Attorneys at Law website

From the Alliance Lawyers

Click to read

November 25th, 2013

By Mark E. Truesdell and Justin LaVan

Beving, Swanson & Forrest, P.C.

A truly effective opposition to a huge transmission line project like this requires at least two things

LOTS OF PEOPLE. Many voices raised together in singular, clear, convincing, relevant, repeated opposition.

EXPERT WITNESSES. The Alliance wants to retain the BEST, most credible, most

authoritative expert witnesses.

Informational Meetings

Informational Meetings in the entire state are almost completd. The final 5 counties will have their meetings the first week of December. O'Brien County will have an additional meeting on December 13th since the proposed route has changed and new landowners are being notified.

The format for the meetings last week remained the same except Hans was not present so Beth Conely presented that information. All meetings were large with lots of good questions. RICL continues to answer most question the same and the audience continues to voice opposition to the line with legitimate concerns. Alliance board members and other members attended the meetings to assist with handing out information and asking questions of RICL. Alliance board members will be at the rest f the meetings.

Benton: Dec 3rd - 9 am, Wildcat Golf Course, 100 Wildcat Trail, Shellsburg

Linn: Dec 3rd - 3 pm, Prairie Hill Pavilion, 5680 Kacena Avenue, Marion

Jones: Dec 4th - 9 am. Lawrence Community Center, 600 East Main Street, Anamosa

Cedar: Dec 4th - 3 pm, Cedar County Fairgrounds, Mathews Building, 1196 220th Street, Tipton

Scott: Dec 5th - 9 am, Clarion Hotel Conference Center, 5202 Brady Street, Davenport

O'Brien: 2nd meeting - Dec 13 - location and time TBD

Click for more information on our website

Click to view or print a list of possible questions that may help you prepare your questions for the meeting.

Important Point:

RICL is a non grid transmission project

that will not plug into the existing electrical grid AND will not provide electricity to any customers in the region.

What Now? I have been to an Informational Meeting what should I do now?

File Your Objection
Stay Involved
Get More Information
Help organize a community meeting
Tell others about the proposed line
Do Not Sign RICL Easement Agreements!
Join the Alliance
Tell others about the Alliance
Write letters to legislators, Governor Brandstad, Commodity Groups, Farm Bureau

Board of Director members and Alliance supporters will be at Informational Meetings across the state.

Board members and Alliance supporters attended the first 11 Informational meetings and are committed to attending the remaining 5 informational meetings across the state.

Recent Activities by RICL

RICL set another round of certified letters to landowners in O'Brien County.

The route changed in this county because of the Mid American wind turbine plans for the same and parcels of land for the proposed RICL project. Jim Sundermeyer stated the Informational meeting will be held in that county at the Hartley Community Center, Friday December 13th at 9:00 am.

This emphasizes the point that the proposed high voltage transmission line can change at any time form multiple reasons. It is important that the entire community is aware of this line and how they may be impacted.

Remember: The filing of this motion emphasizes the importance of NOT SIGNING VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS!

Important Things To Do:

1- File your Objection Letter

Click here to go to our website for more information on how to file your objection including how to file electronically.

Click here for the suggested objection form.

Click here for a sample objection form which includes information on what needs to be included on you objection and ideas on what to say.

Finding objections that have been filed on the IUB website:

After you file your objection electronically or by paper you should be able to view your objection on the IUB website under the Iowa Utilities Board docket search. You only need to put the docket number in the search field to see your objection and other objections that are filed. You do not need to put information in any of the remaining fields.

Here is the list of docket numbers for all counties:

Clay County (# E-22124); Palo Alto County (#E-22125); Obrien (# E-22123)

Kossuth is (# E-22126); Hancock (# E-22127 ); Wright (# E-22128);

Franklin (# E-22129) Butler ( # E-22130); Grundy(# E-22131);

Black Hawk ( # E-22132); Buchanan (# E-22133) Benton (# E-22134);

Linn(# E-22135); Jones(# E-22136); Cedar (# E-22137); Scott (# E-22138)

Contact information: Iowa Utilities Board Contact Information

Phone: 877.565.4450 (toll-free) / 515.725.7321

Email: iub@iub.iowa.gov

2- Write Letters of Opposition

Commodity Groups

Click for commodity group addresses.

Click for talking points to consider using in your letters.

Legislators and Governor Brandstad

Click for key addresses for legislators and Governor Brandstad

3- Assist in organizing Community Meetings in your area.

We are looking for meeting locations across the state. Our goal is to to answer questions, provide information on how to file objections, assist in understanding the IUB franchise process as well as encouraging people to send letters to commodity groups, county supervisors, and legislators.

4- Attend Informational Meetings

If your county is having its Informational meeting soon - plan on attending. This is your opportunity to hear about the project, ask questions, voice your opinion and meet with The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance members.

STOP RICL T- Shirts

Show your support! $10 per shirt

click to print t-shirt flyer

T- Shirts sizes:

Medium, Large, X-Large, XX-Large

Contact information:

jtparson@mtcnet.net or 712-838-4801

madson@ncn.net or 712-835-2038

Shipping costs are not included ($3 per shirt)

Checks payable to: The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance

All proceeds go to support "The Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance"

Visit our website for updated 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.