Rock Island "Clean" Line's (RICL) parent company "Clean" Line Energy Partners, LLC, is a private company based in Texas. The prime investors are the Zilkhas and Ziffs.
"Clean" Line proposes to build four projects at this time: Rock Island "Clean" Line, Grain Belt Express, Plains and Eastern, and Centennial West.
RICL intends to use eminent domain to build a 500-mile high-voltage direct current power line through prime Illinois and Iowa farmlanland.* The 200-foot easements alone would take over 12,000 acres and impact thousands more in the building and maintenance of these structures.
More information on the other projects being developed by the grassroots organization in each area and will be coming soon to new websites.
"Clean" Line does not serve nor benefit the majority of Illinois nor Iowa nor Missouri nor Kansas nor Oklahoma nor Arkansas residents. Nor are any of "Clean" Line's projects part of a coordinated or comprehensive plan to upgrade our power grid - for which we have already committed billions of dollars.
Coming soon: How environmental injustice is a major issue for landowners across the midwest.
Research teams are doing a great job researching the company and investors. See the Facebook pages for Block RICL: Rock Island "Clean" Line and Block "Clean" Line Energy for regular postings. To make it easier for you to find, click the Facebook button on the homepage of this website.
Where else would it be okay for a private company to use eminent domain to cut a swath through the middle of a privately owned factory, put up major obstructions in the production line, and think it's okay to pay less than market value for the property in the easement only?
While claiming to carry wind power, per the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the lines cannot be restricted to wind energy and would also carry traditionally produced electricity, such as coal-generated power. According to the Edison Electric Institute (an association of shareholder-owned electric companies), wind-generated electricity is generally on a transmission line 30-40% of the time and mainly at off-peak times.