RE: Please elaborate: The engineering firm hired by the

Posted on: March 8, 2025 at 08:56:54 CT

transmission utility threatened me with Eminent Domain on our first contact. A Landman came to my home and told me if I didn't accept their first offer and sign an easement agreement that day, they would file suit and condemn my farm and I would get nothing. I was a young farmer and the Landman didn't know my background nor who I worked for. He thought I would cave. He pushed hard, but failed to roll over us. After weeks of negotiation, getting them to increase their offer and securing guarantees regarding crop damages, compaction damages, assignment rights, liability indemnification, restoration of damages to the fields, etc. we finally signed after it was apparent that we couldn't stop them from crossing our farm. During the construction phase crews damaged unharvested corn and cut ruts across our fields. They burned discarded wooden, cardboard and plastic packaging of electrical fixtures and gear. They discarded all manner of trash, including food wrappers and glass and plastic bottles. Construction crews changed the oil of construction equipment and drained the engine crankcases out onto the ground and left the dirty oil filters in the field. They even piled up corn stalks and set them on fire to keep warm. Neither the construction firm or the utility made any attempt to clean up the mess they left on my fields. While the crews were on our property someone broke into my machine shed and robbed us of tools and fishing gear. In later years when I arranged to have terraces built on the fields, we had to ask permission from the utility and their engineers vetoed the location of the terraces. When it rained or there was a heavy mist in the air, you could hear the crackle from the high voltage line and it made the hair stand up on your neck. This was for a 340 Kv line from Brownsville, Ne. nuclear plant to a substation in northwest Missouri. The only beneficiaries of the electricity was KCP&L.