ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION

Gray Hawk Land Solutions Transmission agents work with affected shareholders through each step of the process on all transmission projects.

Gray Hawk Land Solutions works with shareholders during each step in the process. Gray Hawk Land Solutions attempts to balance landowner concerns and preferences with the need for electric infrastructure when locating, re-locating or acquiring rights-of-way.

Gray Hawk Land Solutions discusses with shareholders easement rights and project specifics, including:

• Clearing and construction practices
• Post-construction maintenance
• Project schedule
• Right-of-way access
• The height and design of the structures
• The length and width of the right-of-way
• The number and placement of structures
• Vegetation management
• Voltage of the power line

Gray Hawk Land Solutions also negotiates for an amicable solution in cases of crop damage and/or physical damage to property resulting from the construction and/or maintenance of the transmission line.

What does it mean if there is an easement on your property?

Any item or activity that could interfere with the safe, reliable operation of transmission facilities is called an encroachment and is prohibited under the terms of a right-of-way agreement. GRAY HAWK LAND SOLUTIONS will work to defend the easements that have been purchased by our clients to ensure reliable operation of its transmission systems.

Gray Hawk Land Solutions will work to establish a solid relationship with any shareholder at any property where there is an encroachment or where prohibited activities are occurring at the express direction of our client. Gray Hawk Land Solutions may also work to require a shareholder to remove an encroachment at the owner’s expense.

Examples of prohibited easement encroachments include but are not limited to:

• Barns, sheds, garages
• Billboards
• Buildings, homes, porches, additions, and decks
• Certain types of trees and other vegetation
• Fences that deny our clients access to the easement corridor
• Fuel storage facilities, above ground or below grade
• Lights, flag poles and antennas
• Retention ponds
• Swimming pools located above and below ground
• Swing sets, slides and climbing equipment
• Uses of easement area for fill dirt or other refuse

Examples of prohibited activities in an easement include:

• Burning wood or refuse within the right-of-way
• Changing the ground elevation
• Excavating near utility poles, towers, and other facilities
• Operating machinery in a manner that has the potential to contact or damage our client’s facilities

What is allowed in the right-of-way easement?

Landowners may utilize property in an easement for a variety of uses including;

• Farming
• Other uses that do not interfere with the safe operation of electric facilities
• Yards and gardens

Gray Hawk Land Solutions works diligently so that our clients can make every effort to avoid exercising their right of eminent domain on its customers.

Gray Hawk Land Solutions acquires necessary easements through diligent negotiations and by working with shareholders as long as is practical, to reach a voluntary agreement. It is only when a voluntary agreement cannot be reached, and other viable alternatives do not exist, that the final option of exercising the right of eminent domain is pursued and our agents provide all supporting documentation to prove that all good faith efforts were extolled during the negotiation process. All interactions, documents, notes and phone calls are meticulously logged & recorded for future reference in our geoAMPS platform and turned over to our client’s counsel.

Gray Hawk Land Solutions’ use of eminent domain authority is the exception rather than the rule when negotiating on behalf of electrical utility clients. Ninety-Seven percent of easement negotiations we conduct are successful.