Community Outreach

The Grain Belt Express Clean Line team is committed to engaging with local communities throughout the project area. We believe that our outreach process must be methodical, responsible and transparent. We will continue to engage interested parties and seek feedback throughout the routing process. If you are interested in having a member of the Grain Belt Express Clean Line team speak to your organization, please send an email to info@grainbeltexpresscleanline.com. 

Continuing outreach in Missouri and Illinois

We continue to meet with county and state officials, community members, businesses, agencies, and non-governmental organizations in Missouri and Illinois to keep them informed and engage them in the project development process. As part of our continuing commitment to route the transmission line with proactive public input, we will also hold Public Open House meetings in Missouri and Illinois to seek feedback on potential routes from landowners and local residents.  Stay tuned for more detailed information.
 

Kansas Public Open House Meetings

In January and February, Grain Belt Express Clean Line held Public Open House Meetings in Kansas to provide information and seek feedback on the potential route network. The meetings were open to the public and were advertised in local newspapers and on this website. We will hold Public Open House Meetings in Missouri and Illinois at a later date.

Local Business Opportunity Meetings

In January, we held Local Business Opportunity Meetings in Kansas to inform local businesses about the project and to provide information about the types of local and regional contractors that could assist in the development, construction, and maintenance of the transmission line. Nearly 150 business representatives involved in surveying, aggregate and concrete, trucking and fueling, and other related activities attended and provided information about their businesses’ capabilities. Materials from the Local Business Opportunity Meetings are available on our website: http://www.grainbeltexpresscleanline.com/site/page/materials

If you would like to stay informed of our progress and be notified when we seek sub-contractors or hold business opportunity meetings in your area, please submit your business information here: http://www.grainbeltexpresscleanline.com/site/page/submit_your_business_info

Wind Resource Area Meetings

On November 28, Grain Belt Express hosted two meetings in Dodge City, KS to bring landowners and other interested parties together to

learn about the transmission line project and the wind energy development potential in the area. Project Development Director Mark Lawlor explained that the Grain Belt Express Clean Line would enable more than 3,500 megawatts, the equivalent amount of energy as three Hoover Dams, of new wind generation to be built in the region. Thank you to the nearly 150 people who attended and showed support for the Grain Belt Express. If you support the Grain Belt Express Clean Line project, please consider signing a support letter.

Missouri and Illinois Outreach

Though our primary efforts are currently focused in Kansas and Indiana, the Grain Belt Express team is also conducting outreach and engaging with stakeholders in Missouri and Illinois. If you would like to invite a Grain Belt Express team member to a meeting in your community, please let us know.

Indiana public meetings

Leading up to Grain Belt Express Clean Line’s filing with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, we held two public meetings in Sullivan, Indiana to inform local residents about the project and to answer their questions. Local business representatives also attended and provided information on how they could potentially provide services or materials for the Grain Belt Express Clean Line. Thank you to all who attended. Click here to view materials associated with our Indiana Public Meeting.

Community Roundtable Meetings

Over the past year, the Grain Belt Express Clean Line team held community roundtable workshops to seek input on routing the transmission line. The community roundtable meetings were held throughout the project study area, within which the proposed route for the Grain Belt Express Clean Line will be selected.

At each meeting, members of the Grain Belt Express Clean Line team provided an overview of the project and a description of the routing process. The presentation was followed by a working session where participants provided specific information about their community to aid the route development process. Nearly 1,000 community representatives attended, providing valuable insight for the route development process and commentary on the overall project.

VENDOR OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS

Construction of new electric transmission infrastructure and wind generation in such close proximity to manufacturers and contractors in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana will increase business opportunities for companies. Clean Line is committed to using local and regional contractors whenever possible to assist with the development, construction and maintenance of the Grain Belt Express Clean Line.

We will hold local business open house to explore opportunities to utilize local businesses in the construction and maintenance of the project. We invite businesses to submit their information to ensure they will receive information about the vendor open houses.

COMMUNITY INTRODUCTIONS

The project team met with county officials and community leaders in 109 counties to give an introduction of the project and answer questions. These meetings were held in advance of the roundtable meetings.

Facebook

We have launched the Grain Belt Express Clean Line Facebook page. Please visit the page to become a fan. Our Facebook page will provide another venue for us to connect with interested parties by providing up-to-date news and updates about the project and to engage openly in conversations with our stakeholders.

Past Speaking Engagement and Panel Discussions

  • Kanas Statewide Wind Energy Forum – September 27, 2012, along with representatives from Westar, Burns and McDonald, and TradeWind, Project Development Director Mark Lawlor participated in a panel discussion on how industry and academia could work together in Kansas.
  • Kansas Energy Conference – September 25-26, 2012, Project Development Director Mark Lawlor participated in a panel on wind energy at this annual conference hosted in Manhattan, Kansas.
  • Indiana Regulatory Flexibility Committee – September 6, 2012, Project Manager Diana Coggin testified before Indiana legislators and the public about how the Grain Belt Express Clean Line will support Indiana’s growing wind industry and complement in-state wind generation.
  • Missouri Governors Conference – September 5, 2012, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson spoke about bringing Economic Development to Missouri through infrastructure and low cost clean energy.
  • Indiana Conference on Energy Management – Aug. 28-29, 2012, Grain Belt Express Clean Line Project Manager Diana Coggin and Clean Line Energy Vice President Jimmy Glotfelty gave a presentation at this conference, which was hosted by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
  • Missouri Leadership Seminar – June 9, 2012, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson spoke to high schools students in Missouri about wind energy and the need for high voltage transmission lines.
  • Kansas Energy Conference – September 25-26, 2012, Project Development Director Mark Lawlor participated in a panel on wind energy at this annual conference hosted in Manhattan, Kansas.
  • Indiana Regulatory Flexibility Committee – September 6, 2012, Project Manager Diana Coggin testified before Indiana legislators and the public about how the Grain Belt Express Clean Line will support Indiana’s growing wind industry and complement in-state wind generation.
  • Missouri Governors Conference – September 5, 2012, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson spoke about bringing Economic Development to Missouri through infrastructure and low cost clean energy.
  • Indiana Conference on Energy Management – Aug. 28-29, 2012, Grain Belt Express Clean Line Project Manager Diana Coggin and Clean Line Energy Vice President Jimmy Glotfelty gave a presentation at this conference, which was hosted by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
  • Missouri Leadership Seminar – June 9, 2012, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson spoke to high schools students in Missouri about wind energy and the need for high voltage transmission lines.
  • UMKC Energy Symposium - On May 10, 2012, Director of Development Mark Lawlor spoke at the third annual University of Missouri- Kansas City Energy Symposium in Kansas City, MO. This year, speakers focused on the theme of “Expanding Business Opportunities in Energy.”
  • Missouri’s Energy Future - On April 5, 2012, Director of Development Mark Lawlor spoke at the fourth annual conference in Jefferson City, MO presented by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.
  • Advancing Renewables in the Midwest – On March 26, 2012, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson spoke at the 7th annual conference at the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.
  • AWEA Wind Power Transmission Seminar – On March 21, 2012, the Grain Belt Express team participated in the AWEA Wind Power Transmission Seminar in Indianapolis, IN.
  • UT Energy Forum – On February 2, 2012, Project Development Manager Diana Coggin spoke on a panel called “Who Pays for our Renewable Future?” at the 2nd annual University of Texas Energy Forum in Austin, TX.
  • Midwest Energy Policy Conference - December 1-2, 2011, the Grain Belt Express team participated in the 5th annual Midwest Energy Policy Conference in St. Louis, MO.
  • Kansas Economic Development Alliance Conference – October 25-26, 2011, the Grain Belt Express Clean Line team participated in the KEDA Fall Conference in Dodge City, KS. 
  • Heartland Transmission Conference – August 16, 2011, Clean Line’s Executive Vice President Jimmy Glotfelty, discussed key issues related to the planning, cost allocation, and siting of transmission lines, as well as the role of local, state, regional, and federal agencies.
  • Missouri S&T, Girls Go Green Camp – July 17, 2011, Regional Outreach Manager Adhar Johnson presented to a group of high school girls interested career opportunities in science and engineering.
  • Missouri Leadership Seminar – June 5, 2011, Project Development Manager Diana Coggin spoke to high schools students in Missouri about wind energy and the need for high voltage transmission lines.
  • Missouri’s Energy Future Conference – April 7, 2011, Director of Development Mark Lawlor spoke at the third annual conference on Missouri’s Energy Future.