Power line proposal remains unresolved
By Larry Meyer Argus Observer Tuesday, July 21, 2009
http://argusobserver.com/articles/2009/07/21/news/doc4a65f03a16630737655763.txt
ONTARIO — They forced Idaho Power to take a second look at its process to choose a site of an ambitious Boardman (Ore.) to Hemingway (Idaho) transmission line, but members of Stop Idaho Power are not ready to declare victory as the second round of the South Project Advisory Team meeting is coming up at the end of this month.
Residents from across the region fill out the advisory teams, which were created by Idaho Power to help alleviate concerns of homeowners’ near the route of the proposed line.Those concerns, crystallized by Stop Idaho Power’s efforts, helped push Idaho Power to review its original route and eventually discard it. Stop Idaho Power focused on driving the line away from predominantly exclusive farm use land in Malheur County and onto public land.
But members of Stop Idaho Power said they are not sure they’ve reached that goal. At least not yet.
After abandoning the original routes, Idaho Power Company established three project advisory teams, representing three geographic areas from Canyon County in Idaho to Morrow County in Oregon. Each has held one meeting.
Represented in the south team are Malheur, Harney, Grant, Owyhee, Canyon, Payette and Washington counties. Harney and Grant counties are included because they contain parts of alternative routes proposed by SIP.
“I’m encouraged and skeptical,” Roger Findley, one of the Stop Idaho Power organizers, said. “Encouraged that we are having a process. Skeptical about how long it is taking.”
However, Lynette Berriochoa, Idaho Power project spokesperson, said, with the start of the new route selection process, there is no timeline.
“We hoped to have the process completed by fall. But we really want to get through the complete process however long it needs to take,” Berriochoa said.
There are 30 to 40 people on each team, she said. The South team’s next meeting will be Thursday, July 28th from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Four Rivers Cultural Center.
“All the government agencies will be talking about constraints (on siting the line),” Jean Findley said. . .
