This blog is a response to Idaho Power's Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project Notice of Intent to place 500kV transmission towers through a 2-mile-wide corridor across prime farmland in Malheur County, Oregon.
The Notice of Intent was introduced to Malheur County at an informational meeting held Wednesday, October 22, at the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario.
Approximately 250-300 citizens whose property will be affected by these transmission lines met Monday, November 3 at the Boulevard Grange.
Roger Findley, Natural Resources Instructor at Treasure Valley Community College, conducted the meeting, introducing the following agenda:
1. The goal of the citizen's group is to relocate the Idaho Power 5000 kV transmission line out of Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) land.
2. The mission is to discuss and develop options to achieve the goal, and to maintain communication with local citizens.
3. Overview: "Notice of Intent" is a 299 mile long, 2-mile-wide corridor that would contain a 250 right of way, including access roads, from Boardman, Oregon, to a substation in Sand Hollow, Idaho, crossing again into Oregon and then to a substation in Hemingway, Idaho.
These 12-story lattice transmission towers are 120 feet tall and 30 feet across at the base. Once a corridor is established, more power lines can be installed. Plans are in motion to also route a 42" gas line in an accompanying corridor. An example of a power line photo at Succor Creek was supplied by Jean Findley.
4. The NOI must provide alternative routes to EFU land, according to ORS 215.275. Criteria to determine public service were listed on a fact sheet:
a) tehnical and engineering feasibility
b) locationally dependent
c) lack of available urban and nonresource lands
d) availability of existing right of ways
e) public health and safety
f) other requirements of federal and state agencies
5) The siting committee (EFSC) process in public information meetings
6) Construction completed by 2012 "Fast Track"
7) Siting decision making council must include two from Eastern Oregon
8) Comments must be submitted by November 14 to the BLM and DOE. There is no recourse if comments are not submitted by this date.
Idaho Power has retained a private assessment firm, Tetra Tech, to do the Environmental Impact Statement.
89% of the 299 miles is now routed through private lands, including prime farmland.
Comments to the DOE and BLM are technically not supposed to address:
The Notice of Intent was introduced to Malheur County at an informational meeting held Wednesday, October 22, at the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario.
Approximately 250-300 citizens whose property will be affected by these transmission lines met Monday, November 3 at the Boulevard Grange.
Roger Findley, Natural Resources Instructor at Treasure Valley Community College, conducted the meeting, introducing the following agenda:
1. The goal of the citizen's group is to relocate the Idaho Power 5000 kV transmission line out of Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) land.
2. The mission is to discuss and develop options to achieve the goal, and to maintain communication with local citizens.
3. Overview: "Notice of Intent" is a 299 mile long, 2-mile-wide corridor that would contain a 250 right of way, including access roads, from Boardman, Oregon, to a substation in Sand Hollow, Idaho, crossing again into Oregon and then to a substation in Hemingway, Idaho.
These 12-story lattice transmission towers are 120 feet tall and 30 feet across at the base. Once a corridor is established, more power lines can be installed. Plans are in motion to also route a 42" gas line in an accompanying corridor. An example of a power line photo at Succor Creek was supplied by Jean Findley.
4. The NOI must provide alternative routes to EFU land, according to ORS 215.275. Criteria to determine public service were listed on a fact sheet:
a) tehnical and engineering feasibility
b) locationally dependent
c) lack of available urban and nonresource lands
d) availability of existing right of ways
e) public health and safety
f) other requirements of federal and state agencies
5) The siting committee (EFSC) process in public information meetings
6) Construction completed by 2012 "Fast Track"
7) Siting decision making council must include two from Eastern Oregon
8) Comments must be submitted by November 14 to the BLM and DOE. There is no recourse if comments are not submitted by this date.
Idaho Power has retained a private assessment firm, Tetra Tech, to do the Environmental Impact Statement.
89% of the 299 miles is now routed through private lands, including prime farmland.
Comments to the DOE and BLM are technically not supposed to address:
- loss of property value (estimated to be 5% to 15% for those whose lands are affected) and
- health issues such as the affect transmission lines may have on human beings.
9. Cited EFSC Standards (from Fact Sheet) to base DOE and BLM comments on:
- Safety and health; possibly, productivity of livestock
- General standards of review
- Organizational and expertise to build; this is the biggest project Idaho Power has ever undertaken
- Structural standards
- Soil protection
- (The most valuable point for comment purposes) Land use, espeically Exclusive Farm Use. A local commission OR Energy Siting Council MUST abide by Malheur County standards.
- Protected areas
- Retirement and financial (letter of credit in order to complete project)
- Threatened and endangered species; hawks, peregrine falcons, owls, etc.
- (another valuable point for comments) Scenic and aesthetic values, together with
- Historic, Cultural and Archeological Resources, including Malheur Butte, a landmark on the Oregon Trail; Mitchell Butte, and the overview at Trenkel Hill. John Beal, Malheur County Planning Commission, reports that Malheur County has no "scenic views" listed in its county plan.
- Recreation; Country View Golf Course
- Waste minimization
- Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Need Standard for Nongenerating facilities
Other comments, although not listed on the siting standards, may include the following:
- Health issues
- Decrease in property value (lowered tax revenue to county and state)
- Aerial application of pesticides, sprinkler and center pivot irrigation systems
- TDML (Total Maximum Daily Load) for DEQ Clean Water Act standards for the Malheur River Allocation Watershed Council, which are in the process of eliminating surface flow irrigation
- Proximity of the Ontario Municipal Airport
- The use of "Utility Corridors" already identified by the BLM and established in Land Use Plans
- Send comments to BLM, ODE and Malheur County Planning in Vale
A subcommittee including Roger Findley, Bruce Corn, Ty Frasier, Mike Lovaas, Farrell Larsen, Evelyn Sayers, Ron Jones, John Beal and a member of the Malheur County Court will be meeting with Idaho Power to introduce an alternate plan and offer resistance to the current plan. If this is not successful, the entire group will meet again to plan strategies including retaining legal counsel and beginning subcommittee work with government agencies and alternative routes.
