The Baker City Herald has run three stories in the past two weeks covering Malheur County. The Ontario Argus Observer has been strangely silent since it ran a full-page ad, bought and paid for by Idaho Power. Idaho Power's plans and quotes from its officials have been the subject of at least three stories in the Argus in the past two weeks.
Oregon bill could stymie Idaho Power's plans for Baker County
by The Associated Press Thursday April 09, 2009
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/salem_ore_a_bill.html
SALEM -- A bill introduced by two Western Oregon legislators (Brian Clem and Deborah Boone) could alter Idaho Power's plans to build a transmission line through Baker County. . .
The bill would prohibit establishing a "utility facility" in areas zoned for farm use, forest use or mixed farm and forest use if a majority of the facility's output would be used within an urban growth boundary. Among other things it allows land owners to refuse to grant a utility easement in such cases, the Baker City Herald newspaper reported.
Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, vice chairman of the Sustainability and Economic Development Committee, says those concerns also can apply to overhead utilities such as power lines. Bentz said he plans to offer an amendment to limit the height of transmission towers to 50 feet on such lands to allow local jurisdictions to decide which areas to protect.
"County courts can decide if the land would be damaged by the inability to use aerial application," Bentz said. . .
Idaho Power plans to ask residents of eastern Oregon to consult with the utility on a route for a 500-kilovolt transmission line. The 300-mile power line would run from Idaho's Owyhee County to Boardman near the Columbia River.
In March state Sen. Ted Ferrioli of John Day, who leads minority Republicans, filed a bill that would prohibit power transmission lines with a capacity of 400,000 volts or greater on land zoned for exclusive farm use . . .
--The Associated Press
