FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2009
Salem, OR - State Senator Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) introduced Senate Bill 644 on Monday that would stop Idaho Power from constructing a transmission line across valuable eastern Oregon farm land. The line would run from Hemingway, Idaho to Boardman, Oregon.
"If anything is clear, it is that Idaho Power has badly underestimated the passion with which families will fight to protect their farms and ranches against the intrusion of Oregon's first 500kV transmission line crossing exclusive farm use land," said Ferrioli. "It's not only about the view shed, the alleged health effects or even the threat of condemnation that galls, it is the knowledge that Idaho Power analyzed alternatives and concluded that it would be easier to roll over ordinary citizens than to confront environmental groups who will likely litigate any route involving wildlife habitat."
Idaho power has proposed the construction of a 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The new transmission line would be 299 miles long, 88 percent of the transmission line would run along private land, 11% on federal land, and 1% on other regions.
Approximately 30 (or more) of those miles would cross private and exclusive farm use (EFU) zoned land in the fertile Owyhee, Malheur, and Snake River valleys of northeastern Malheur County. This is one of the state's most productive agricultural lands.
Senate Bill 644 would only allow transmission lines of 400,000 volts or less to be constructed on land zoned for exclusive farm use.
"If the strategists at Idaho power believe the citizens of Baker and Malheur County represent the path of least resistance, they are sadly mistaken," said Ferrioli. "Our goal with this legislation is to encourage Idaho Power to rethink the proposed route and do the right thing for Oregon citizens. It's not about stopping the transmission lines. It is about location of those lines."
Residents have listed specific concerns with the economic impact this proposal would have on the agricultural community. The proposed power line could disrupt current irrigation practices, as well as their ability to control pests, such as weeds and insects through new limitations on aerial spraying. New restrictions could take much of the private farm land out of production, negatively impacting the farmers and ranchers along the proposed route.
Residents also have raised signifcant opposition to the impact this proposal will have on their property value and on county landmarks, wuch as the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on Flagstaff Hill in Baker City and tarnish the views in Brown Butte, Trenkel Overlook, and Malheur Butte. Landowners noted that opening the corridor could establish a path for other utilities to be placed on their property without consent or compensation. Many voiced their reservations and concerns with the health implications these power lines will have on their families and residents throughout the region.
Idaho Power's Salem lobbyist has been hard at work trying to convince Oregon legislators to vote against this bill. Here's another letter writing, emailing and phone calling opportunity for residents of eastern Oregon counties to convince their legislators to vote for Senate Bill 644.
