Hawley Works to Protect Missouri Farmers & Landowners in Senate Transmission Bill

Hawley Works to Protect Missouri Farmers & Landowners in Senate Transmission Bill

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced four amendments to the Senate's permitting and transmission bill to better protect farmers in Missouri and across the country. Senator Hawley's amendments would add new rights and protections for farmers, ranchers, and landowners from eminent domain takings of their land for electric transmission projects.

For years, Senator Hawley has advocated for landowners against disruptive transmission lines on agricultural land in Missouri, including by successfully securing the cancellation of a $5 billion federal loan for the Grain Belt Express project last year.

Senator Hawley's amendments for consideration:

Amendment #1: This amendment would create a new statutory federal floor of 150% of fair market value for "just compensation" to landowners when their land is taken through eminent domain-while allowing individual states to set even higher compensation rates.

Amendment #2: This amendment would extend the time allowed for a state's consideration of an application for a transmission line from one year to two years before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may exercise its backstop siting authority to issue a permit. This would give states and landowners more time to consider and debate these projects.

Amendment #3: This amendment would provide FERC the discretion to notexercise its backstop siting authority, even if all statutory conditions are met. Under existing law, FERC is required to exercise its backstop siting authority when all conditions are met.

Amendment #4: This amendment would substantially increase the minimum voltage threshold, from 230 kVs to 765 kVs, for FERC to exercise eminent domain over private property for transmission line projects. This change would carve out from FERC's siting authority many common transmission line projects.

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