Ranchers Under Fire - We'll Never Change the World Until Everyone Sits in the Dark Cold and Hungry (Video)

Ranchers have expressed significant opposition to proposed “National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors” (NIETCs) designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), primarily over concerns about eminent domain and the potential seizure of private, often generational, ranch land for energy projects. 

The controversy stems from the federal government’s authority to use eminent domain to acquire property for “public good” projects, even from unwilling sellers, provided “just compensation” is given. 

https://youtu.be/T5YZ1Uhpd5w

Key Points of Contention

• Eminent Domain: Ranchers and landowners in states such as Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico fear that the NIETC designation would grant the federal government or private energy companies the power to forcibly take their land for transmission lines and associated infrastructure.
• Property Rights: Opponents argue that these projects, intended to transmit wind and solar energy, often across state lines, do not constitute a true “public use” that justifies federal land condemnation. They want property acquisition to be voluntary and state-regulated, not federally mandated.
• Impact on Livelihoods: Ranchers assert that the corridors could disrupt fragile prairie landscapes, lower property values, and interfere with farming and ranching operations that have been in their families for generations.
• Political Response: The issue has sparked political backlash, with lawmakers in affected states introducing legislation to limit federal power over land use for energy projects. The Trump administration, in more recent actions, has shifted policy to restrict federal funding for some wind and solar projects on prime farmland, emphasizing land-use efficiency and different energy priorities.

Recent Developments

In late 2024, following public opposition and legal challenges, the DOE announced it would no longer pursue the Midwest-Plains NIETC in Kansas and other specific large power transmission lines. However, other potential corridors across the country may still be under consideration, and the debate over balancing energy needs with private property rights continues. 

For more information, local county boards in affected areas have worked together to object to the proposals. The DOE has an email for public questions and comments regarding NIETCs: NIETC@hq.doe.gov.