AG Hanaway finds agreement with former client Grain Belt over document demand
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway reached a deal with her former client, Grain Belt Expres,s in the company's lawsuit over the state's demand for documents.
Hanaway was the lead counsel for Grain Belt when she worked at law firm Husch Blackwell. She left that job when she was appointed attorney general last fall.
Grain Belt sued the attorney general's office last July after then-Attorney General Andrew Bailey demanded that the wind energy company turn over documents as part of a civil investigative demand. The demand is similar to a subpoena.
In court filings last week, Grain Belt agreed to supply Hanaway with documents she sought.
The project would route a high-voltage wind energy transmission line through parts of Central Missouri. The company has promised economic impact through construction jobs, and has said a Hubbell Power Systems in Centralia will make components for the project.
A connection is planned from north of Centralia to near Kingdom City. That route includes land in Monroe, Audrain and Callaway counties, according to the Grain Belt website.
The main line will also run through Chariton and Randolph counties.
Grain Belt has also filed several eminent domain lawsuits to obtain easements on private land.
The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved the project.
As Grain Belt's lawyer last July, Hanaway said the attorney general had "no authority to interfere with the Public Service Commission or its final approval of this project."
The project has contracts with 39 municipal utilities in Missouri, including Columbia Water and Light. Project leaders say Grain Belt could save Missouri energy consumers billions of dollars.
