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Mark Twain Transmission Project Rep Requests Vote from Shelby Commissioners on Granting Assent to the Project, Meeting VIDEO and Exclusive Interview with Project Director

The following videos were recorded by Echo Menges, Reporter for The Edina Sentinel/nemonews.net, documenting a public meeting between representatives of the Mark Transmission Project (MTTP) and the Shelby County Commissioners, and an exclusive interview with James Jontry , MTTP Director, following that meeting on Thursday, September 15, 2016 at the Shelby County Courthouse.

Jontry, MTTP Director, returned to Shelby County to ask for a decision and vote on whether the Commission would grant the MTTP permission to utilize and cross Shelby County right-of-ways just one week after a tumultuous encounter with the same Commission and a protesters opposing the project.

The need for the five Missouri counties to grant access or to give “assent” to the MTTP has become an unexpected way for opponents of the project to push local level officials to deny for a denial – throwing a wrench in the process, but, combined with the decision by the Missouri PSC, forcing the decision onto the individual counties, even more pressure has been added to the rural Commissions involved.

The stage has been set for the process of lawsuits to begin against each individual county refusing to grant “assent” to the project. According to Jontry, he will begin scheduling meetings to ask for a decision in the each of the other counties starting next week.

Up to this point the five Missouri County Commissions, in which the transmission line is planned to be built in, have stood together in opposition to the project. They are: Adair, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Shelby and Schuyler.

Visit the nemonews.net Facebook Page to view a video by Shelby County Herald Reporter Marlana Bonnell of the Shelby County Commission addressing members of the public gathered to protest the MTTP immediately following their meeting with project officials.

(Media: Please attribute accordingly.)

Shelby County Commission Meeting

Exclusive Interview with James Jontry, MTTP Director

B-Roll