DOE Withdraws $4.9 Billion Loan for Controversial Multistate Transmission Line in Illinois

The U.S. Department of Energy has decided to withdraw its $4.9 billion federal loan application for the Grain Belt Express, a proposed multistate electrical transmission line that faced significant opposition from landowners in Illinois concerned about property rights and eminent domain issues. State Representative Chris Miller (R-Oakland) commended the DOE's move, labeling the project a "scam" motivated by international investors and environmental advocacy groups. "This marks a significant victory for taxpayers nationwide," Miller stated. "It was an infringement on property rights and threatened the livelihoods of Illinois farmers. I stand with my constituents in opposing this scheme." The 800-mile Grain Belt Express was designed to transmit wind energy from Kansas eastward but encountered resistance from rural communities, notably over eminent domain concerns expressed during a Kansas Public Service Commission hearing. Local resident Barbra Parker highlighted personal impacts, describing how the proposed route would be just 150 feet from her family’s homestead, which has been passed through four generations of farmers and ranchers. She called for route adjustments or micrositin...