U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, along with Representative Tracey Mann, have introduced legislation to prevent the federal government from using taxpayer funds to seize private property for electric transmission lines. This move responds to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) proposal, which would grant the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) new authority to site transmission lines, even if state regulators have denied the application.

The Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allows FERC to issue permits for these lines despite state objections. The proposed legislation seeks to protect Kansas landowners by banning federal funds for land seizures and preventing FERC from overruling state decisions. This effort reflects concerns that the NIETC proposal has been inadequately communicated and lacks clarity for affected landowners. The Kansas Farm Bureau supports this legislation, emphasizing the need for state-level decision-making and protections for landowners against unilateral federal actions.