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Large PUC hearing turnout; resident says ExCEL filed motions seeking immediate possession of land
Summary
Speakers at the meeting reported roughly 250 people attended a prior PUC hearing; one public commenter said ExCEL filed motions against 13 landowners seeking modification for immediate possession, describing renewed attempts at eminent-domain actions.
Community members told the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 10 that a Public Utilities Commission hearing the night before drew a large crowd and significant local testimony and that the ExCEL project has active court filings affecting local landowners.
"We had close to 250 people show up," said Carrie Giblets of the Elbert County Environmental Alliance, recounting that 55 people had time to speak and praising county staff for publicizing the hearing.
Don Gray, who identified himself from Highway 86, told commissioners that ExCEL had filed motions against 13 landowners seeking to modify immediate possession, which he described as efforts to accelerate eminent-domain possession. Gray said the motions were expected to be filed in court that day but that he did not yet have a hard copy of the filing.
"What that really means in layman's terms is they want our land and they want it now," Gray said, characterizing the motions as attempts to secure immediate possession.
County commissioners thanked speakers for the update but declined to comment on ongoing litigation. No county action or vote was recorded on the ExCEL filings during the meeting; the transcript notes that commissioners could not attend the prior PUC hearing because of litigation matters.
Next steps: The legal filings and any court scheduling will determine whether the county needs to take formal action; at this meeting commissioners did not propose specific county responses.
