Bailey Seeks Halt to Grain Belt Express

On March 3, 2025, Attorney General Andrew Bailey wrote to the Department of Energy in strong opposition of the DOE Loan Programs Office proposal for a $4.9 billion loan guarantee. This loan would fund Invenergy’s Grain Belt Express wind energy transmission line project and be detrimental to Missouri farmers and ranchers. 

In the letter, Attorney General Bailey wrote, “During the waning, chaotic days of the Biden administration, DOE LPO granted “conditional approval” of this financing, before issuing a draft environmental impact statement, in what appears to be a last-minute, rushed effort to carry out its “green energy” agenda. Invenergy is a privately held corporation seeking to profit on the backs of Missouri landowners.”

Attorney General Bailey called out the Biden administration late last year to immediately discontinue spending on the GBE project as it was something a vast majority of Missourians did not want or ask for. He requested the administration to host a series of in-person meetings to allow Missourians the opportunity to share their thoughts regarding how the GBE will effect their livelihoods. The request went unanswered, and the DOE LPO granted only 45 days for public review of a 400 plus page DEIS, which is one of the key requirements to GBE’s requested loan guarantee. They also held public meetings which resulted in low attendance due to winter weather conditions. 

Bailey continued, “Due to this inadequate comment period and anemic effort at public engagement, I call on DOE LPO to terminate this wasteful and unnecessary project immediately. Or, at the very least, I call on DOE LPO to extend the comment period to 120 days and to hold additional in-person meetings so Missourians can have a meaningful opportunity to be heard.”

Attorney General Bailey requested the agency to adopt its “no-action” alternative to reject funding toward the GBE project. 

“Andrew Bailey has consistently stood for private property rights in our state,” said Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Mike Deering. “This letter to the DOE LPO is yet another example of his efforts to protect the rights of landowners.”

Attorney General Bailey concluded, “Plain and simple, I will not stand back and allow Missouri to become a “green energy” playground for well-heeled, private, out-of-state interests looking to line their own pockets with government funding.”