Contact Your Local Farm Bureau Representatives
... Why?
The Illinois Farm Bureau is gearing up for its annual meeting that will take place in December.  Last year, they supported a resolution to support CO₂ pipelines from ethanol plants.  This action deviated from their official policy on eminent domain, which is to oppose the use of eminent domain for private projects.  Navigator CO₂ Ventures and Wolf Carbon Solutions are both private companies that will profit handsomely if their projects are approved.

County farm bureaus needs to hear from farmers like you.  That way, they can report to the Illinois Farm Bureau that farmers along CO2 pipeline routes do NOT want these companies to receive eminent domain authority to take your land, if these projects are approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. So what area we asking you to do?  During the month of November, please email or call your county farm bureau president AND your farm bureau manager. You can find their emails and phone numbers in the list below - OR, in the directory that is posted on this site (see link, below).

Email your county farm bureau manager and president
First, find the email address for both your county farm bureau manager and president by looking at the list or directory below (NOTE:  If you are on Navigator's route, the list provided below is more up to date than the directory).

Then, using the following email as a template, compose an email to send to both your county farm bureau manager and president. PLEASE adjust as you feel appropriate.  Customizing these messages is important, for the greatest impact.

SAMPLE EMAIL

Dear __________________

I am writing to ask you to support a resolution that will oppose the use of eminent domain for a private, for-profit project that will capture, transport, and sequester CO₂.  The Illinois Farm Bureau has, until last year, opposed the use of eminent domain for private, for-profit projects, and I believe that the IFB should return to its long-standing policy, particularly as it relates to CO₂ pipelines.

Also, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is currently working to improve safety and oversight of CO2 pipelines, yet developers are proceeding with their projects BEFORE these rules are updated and ready to be implemented.  I ask that you support resolutions that may be proposed during The Illinois Fam Bureau's annual meeting in December that ask for a moratorium on CO2 Pipelines.  That moratorium should be tied to the completion of PHMSA's new rules.  This includes publishing the new rules; receiving and responding to public comments; and enacting, them, after incorporating public comments.

Call your county farm bureau manager and president
You don't have to say a lot.  We are asking you to call and:

• Identify who you are, and whether or not you are a member of the farm bureau.
• Explain that you are concerned that Navigator and Wolf will be approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission, which will give them eminent domain authority.
• Share that your think Navigator and Wolf should NOT be allowed to proceed with their projects, because the federal government (Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration) have not completed rulemaking that will improve safety and oversight of CO₂ pipelines.
• Ask the farm bureau manager or the county farm bureau president to ask the Illinois Farm Bureau to support a moratorium on CO2 pipelines until the rulemaking is finished.
• Ask the county farm bureau manager or president to tell the Illinois Farm Bureau to stop supporting these private projects, which are funded by our taxpayer dollars, and instead return to their policy of opposing projects for private gain.
• Add anything else you think is relevant or of concern to you.

And that's it!  The county farm bureaus will discuss these calls during their meetings and will, we hope, relay these concerns to Bloomington.

These calls are part of a larger effort that is being carried out by coalition members. In September, we will send postcards and letters to the county farm bureaus and potentially to Governor Pritzker. Let us know what ind of response you received by emailing ccoalition@noillinoisco2pipelines.org.

Thank you for taking action!!

Contact Information
The following information is the latest obtained by the Coalition.  We will provide updates when we have them.