No Path of Least Resistance Here

Grotesque contortions of proposed transmission lines into Malheur County so Ada and Canyon County residents can avoid having to look at 12-story towers.

Possible larger loop with relocated substation (click for larger picture)

We had a good turnout at our Monday night Grange meeting in spite of the weather. Roger Findley gave a presentation on what has happened since our last meeting:

1. Durkee Meeting
2. Owyhee County Commissioner Jerry Hoaglund
3. Retaining legal counsel, Attorney Tom Nelson, Utility and Energy law
4. Letter written by Jean and Roger Findley to Oregon agencies and affected counties (Owyhee, Gem, Malheur and Payette) requesting 2 corridors
5. Proposed wider circle avoiding all private land

including quotes from the 38-member Ada and Canyon County all-Idaho siting committee, some of which are printed below for your amusement:

• "Can the 500 kV line extend into Oregon? "
• "Can we go beyond the Treasure Valley and hide the 500kV line in the mountains?"
• "Can transmission lines be placed in hills or steep country?"
• "Stay away from ridgelines"
• "Don’t go too close to Emmett bench on north side"
• Don’t want a source substation in the view shed in Canyon County, especially in the Lake Lowell area"
• "Want to push the source and hub substations more to the west"
• "Can it go into Oregon, it’s not as developed?"
• "Run transmission lines through the draws so the whole valley does not see"

Bruce Corn reported on

1. Meetings with the BLM and the Malheur County Court, giving high praise to County Judge Dan Joyce for his efforts to inform Oregon officials and agencies on what is happening here.
2. County Planner Jon Beal asks for help in assembling soil classifications. If you have this information, please send it to him!
3. Contacts with Ron Wyden's aide, Wayne Kinney, and Scott Fairley, Gov. Kulongoski's office

Lisa Davis reports that Federal loans will not be made on property under transmission lines, rendering it much less valuable and in some cases, unsellable.

Jean and Roger Findley submitted a letter to state officials requesting that IP's Notice of Intent be rejected until it proposes alternate corridors as required by Oregon law, and include a cost benefit analysis of crossing agricultural land rather than uninhabited public land:

1. Option 1: Buchanan between John Day and Boardman. This is the longest of the 3 options but encourages moving the Sand Hollow substation to north of Payette, and crosses no private land. Cost cannot be the sole consideration for utility placement.


2. Option 2: PP&L line, Grassy Mt. south of Vale behind Bully Creek and Huntington Junction, then along the freeway


3. Option 3: Through Canyon County. Note: one of the attendees at our meeting, a resident of Canyon County under the less than two miles of corridor through Parma, is very upset and supports our citizens' group request that Option 1 route be followed.

The entire group voted unanimously to adopt the non-profit organization Bylaws written up by Vale Attorney Cliff Looney, and voted unanimously for the 20 Board of Directors

1. Roger and Jean Findley
2. Tom and Pat Phillips
3. Clint and Patty Kennington
4. Bruce Corn
5. Cliff Looney (our SOLE contact with Attorney Tom Nelson)
6. Farrell Larson
7. Evelyn Sayers
8. Gary Pearson
9. Ken Teramura
10. Grant Kitamura
11. Larry and Rod Price
12. Dick Davis
13. Stacey Trenkel
14. John Faw
15. Alice Ure
16. Eric White

Many thanks to all those who agreed (some with a little arm twisting) to serve. The Board of Directors will elect officers and open a bank account for our fund raising efforts, which went very well last night. If the more than 400 households under 30 miles of lines each contribute $100, we will have more than sufficient for legal and engineering counsel.

Bob Kemble, CPA for Pete Nichols is doing 501-C and non-profit status free of charge. Any monies not used will be prorated and returned.

Sue Kurth had prototype vinyl "No Entry for Purposes of Obtaining Easements/Rights-of-way" signs made up. We voted for the ones shaped like stopsigns (if ODOT allows us to use that shape). If not, large rectangular signs will be available for approx. $5.00 at our next meeting.

New petitions requesting Idaho Power to reroute these lines in alternate corridors are available for download and printing and signing. Please return these petitions at our next meeting.

Jean Findley and Evelyn Sayers have divided Malheur County into 8 areas for the purpose of informing ALL county residents of the proposed lines, since there are still those who don't know about it. Each group leader will have maps, letters to neighbors and the new petition asking IP to reroute its line. These eight areas are:

1. Oregon Slope
2. South of 20-26 near Lincoln. Pat Trenkel has volunteered for this group.
3. Vale west of the Butte
4. South of 20-26, north of Imperial. Donna Kemble has volunteered for this group.
5. North of Nyssa--Bruce Corn will take this.
6. South of Nyssa, south of Alberta and Owyhee Corners - Melda Schiemer will do part of this
7. North of Adrian-Jackass Flats - Pat Bashaw is helping here
8. South of Adrian. The Prices will take this one.

Please let Jean or Evelyn know if you can help with #1 or #3.

Action Plan:

• Next meeting: Monday, January 12, 7:00 p.m. at the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario.
• Write more letters! More letters! More letters!
• Pass around and sign New Petitions requesting IP to reroute the transmission lines, return by next meeting
• Vinyl No Entry signs for sale at next meeting
• Keep writing those checks!! And THANK YOU!! Grant Kitamura is collecting checks, make out to Stop Idaho Power and send to Finance Committee, P.O. Box 9, Ontario, OR 97914