Grain Belt Express environmental report weighted in favor of Invenergy

Unpacking the Grain Belt Express: What’s in the DEIS and Why It Matters

The Federal Register, in January 2025, published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Invenergy’s proposed Grain Belt Express (GBE), a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line. This 400-plus-page document, however, remains largely inaccessible to the public, raising concerns about transparency and understanding, especially with a comment period limited to just 45 days.

The DEIS, mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act, is meant to assess the GBE’s likely impacts. Yet, many find it inconsistent, favoring the applicant—Invenergy—over comprehensive evaluation. Here’s a breakdown of the document’s key points and their implications.

Environmental Harm: Minimized, Not Avoided

The DEIS acknowledges significant environmental damages from GBE’s construction and long-term maintenance. These include:

1. Soil and Water Contamination: Paint thinners, gasoline, lubricants, coolants, and other chemicals leaking from heavy machinery threaten soil and water bodies.
2. Air Quality Decline: Exhaust from construction and maintenance activities could temporarily or permanently compromise air quality.
3. Wildlife and Vegetation Loss: Several wildlife species and types of vegetation will be permanently lost, and many wooded areas will suffer permanent damage. Farmland will also be affected, with some areas becoming permanently unsuitable for farming.
4. Public Health and Safety Risks: Magnetic fields and electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation from the lines could pose health risks, especially for those living or working close by. Fires (like those in Los Angeles) and exposure to hazardous chemicals add to these concerns.

The DEIS’s Double Speak

While admitting these harms, the DEIS often downplays them using disingenuous language or hiding details in fine print. When acknowledging permanent damage, it simultaneously claims Invenergy will "repair" it, despite the project’s long lifespan. It labels visual impacts as mere "alterations to the landscape composition" and "visual clutter," downplaying the eyesore they’ll create.

Environmental Justice: A questionable claim

The DEIS asserts that environmental justice will be fully preserved, despite admitting permanent environmental and economic losses. This claim seems questionable, given the project’s known damages and Invenergy’s reliance on proactive damage control.

A Tale of Two Scenarios

The DEIS’s introduction states that if existing environmental standards can’t be met, the project won’t proceed. Yet, the rest of the document assumes Invenergy will always comply, setting up a Catch-22 scenario. If the project is built and Invenergy fails to meet standards, it logically follows that the project should not have been approved in the first place.

The public has a right to understand DEIS’s implications and voice their opinions during the comment period. As landowner and CEO Tammy Hammond highlighted, it’s crucial not to let the complexity of this document or the rushed deadline deter us from participating in this critical process.