Show-Me State Times

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has issued a Civil Investigative Demand to Grain Belt Express, LLC. The move comes amid concerns over misleading claims and alleged dishonesty in the company's transmission line project. Bailey also sent a letter to the Missouri Public Service Commission, offering support for reevaluating the project's prior approval due to questionable assumptions and potentially fraudulent data.

Bailey stated, "Grain Belt Express has repeatedly lied to Missourians about the jobs it would create, the benefits it would deliver, and the land it seeks to take." He emphasized that his office will not allow property rights to be undermined by misleading corporate practices.

Grain Belt Express is backed by a $4.9 billion conditional federal loan guarantee from the Biden Administration. The company has filed nearly 50 eminent domain lawsuits against Missouri landowners for property acquisition. Concerns have been raised that these efforts primarily benefit out-of-state data centers rather than local communities.

The New York Times described Bailey's actions as "a major setback for Invenergy, the energy company that is behind the project."

The Attorney General's demand requires Grain Belt Express to provide documents related to its economic claims, job creation promises, marketing strategies, environmental impacts, landowner interactions, and shifting project objectives. These measures are taken under Missouri’s Merchandising Practices Act which prohibits deceptive business activities.

In his letter to the PSC, Bailey urged a reassessment of Grain Belt Express's Certificate of Convenience and Necessity. He pointed out that GBE's application included speculative assumptions such as a carbon tax that was never enacted at either state or federal levels.

Bailey called on the PSC to use its authority under Missouri law and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Orders 1920 series to require updated long-term planning and revoke approvals no longer serving public interest.

He concluded with a commitment: “Our mission is to stand up for Missouri’s farmers, families, and landowners... We will not allow a private corporation to trample property rights and mislead regulators just to secure federal subsidies and political favor.”

The Civil Investigative Demand served on Grain Belt Express can be accessed here. The full letter addressed to the Public Service Commission is available here.