TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislative Budget Committee conducted its first meeting of the interim on Wednesday.
Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, serves as vice-chairman of the committee and requested the Kansas Corporation Commission present on the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor.
Waymaster questioned the United State Department of Energy’s authority of the language they are using to produce this proposed corridor in counties within the 109th Kansas House District, represented by Waymaster.
“It appears to me that the language added to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a clear violation of states' rights, that this is a violation of the 10th Amendment,” Waymaster challenged. He continued, “it is also apparent by this clause that they are also circumventing the [Kansas Corporation Commission]’s authority, as well.”
Waymaster expressed to Paul Owings, Kansas Corporation Commission deputy chief engineer, “We have citizens in our state, constituents in my district, that are concerned, and I’m concerned. They could lose their agricultural land, oil production, homes and way of life.”
Owings did share with the Legislative Budget Committee that the Grain Belt Express, which was approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission on Dec. 7, 2011, follows the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line.
He also advised the committee that Grain Belt Express plans to formally request to the United States Department of Energy to narrow the corridor from the proposed five-mile preliminary corridor to just half-mile wide.
Waymaster expressed concern to the Kansas Corporation Commission about the five-mile corridor with the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line and said, “this is what prompted me to meet with the Legislative Revisors Office in August to have a bill drafted to protect our citizens, the state of Kansas, and our rights under the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution.” Waymaster continued, “we are also formalizing a meeting in Russell County, and I am personally inviting the [Kansas Corporation Commission] to attend.”
The 109th Kansas House District consists of the entire counties of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell and Smith. Waymaster has served the 109th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2013.
Please contact Rep.Waymaster regarding the transmission line at [email protected].