Texas State Representative Brad Buckley has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to intervene and pause a massive, multibillion-dollar transmission line project proposed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The project involves building extensive 765-kilovolt power lines spanning thousands of miles across Texas. Buckley and concerned landowners argue that the project infringes on private property rights, threatens productive agricultural land, and unfairly drives up electric rates for Texas consumers to support unreliable renewable energy expansion. In response to USDA commitments to protect rural communities and farmland, Buckley requested federal intervention to halt the project until the state legislature can officially evaluate it during its upcoming session.
State utility managers want to build huge new high-voltage power lines across miles of Texas land. However, local property owners and state representatives worry that these massive power lines will cut through farms and ranchland, take away private land rights, and raise electricity costs for everyday families. A Texas lawmaker is asking federal agricultural officials to step in and freeze the project so state lawmakers can review the plans and ensure rural landowners’ voices are heard.
Read the full article