Energy transmission corridor could cause people to lose homes; Barton Co. meeting moved

UPDATE: A meeting abut the proposed energy transmission corridor scheduled for today, Aug. 20, in Barton County has been moved. It was originally going to be at the courthouse, but the Barton County Commission has moved it to the Crest Theater, 1905 Lakin, in Great bend. The meeting time is still 6 p.m.

For those who cannot attend, the meeting will be livestreamed at this link: https://bit.ly/3SXeQbY . People who join via the link will not be able to join the live discussion.

CHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Some in Kansas are concerned about a proposed energy corridor that could run through parts of the state and use eminent domain to clear the way .

Kansas leaders in Washington, D.C., are hearing from residents worried about losing their land.

Senator Roger Marshall and Representatives Ron Estes and Tracey Mann were at a legislative panel on Monday to discuss oil and gas. If the route were approved, it would be about five miles wide.

The concern is that the government could use eminent domain to take properties within that five-mile range to expand electrical transmission projects as they see fit, which could upend current residents.

The corridor appears to go around the already-planned “Grain Belt Express,” a high-capacity transmission line transporting electricity through the region.

“We have citizens out there, private landowners, that are concerned about those power lines coming through their own land. You know it’s their land, as they told me, their land is not for sale,” said Sen. Marshall.

People living in the area where the transmission corridor could go are pushing back against it.

One woman who lives in Pawnee County is concerned that this corridor will pass right through her property.

“We’re just scared to death that everything we know is gonna be taken away,” said Pawnee County resident Pam Bonham. “And nobody seems to be really giving us straight answers.”

She says her home and salvage business are irreplaceable within the proposed pathway.

“You can’t just go buy land and expect to be able to get a salvage license,” said Bonham.

Some at a public meeting last week criticized Sen. Marshall for not alerting them to the possible ramifications sooner.

Bonham said she had no warning about the energy corridor. She only found out about the energy corridor through word of mouth days ago after the public comment period had already passed.

“We really didn’t, and our neighbors really didn’t know how big this is and how close it was coming,” she said. “This had been in Marshall’s office since 2021. We haven’t talked to anybody.”

Sen. Marshall says he’s unsure why people didn’t know about the proposal.

“I’m not sure whose responsibility I’d assume the energy company’s responsibility, but I think that’s why we need journalism. I think so many towns – we’ve lost our small-town newspapers,” he said.

Sen. Marshall said he’s known about the project for three years and keeps constituents updated through his newsletter.

To learn more about the energy corridor, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.