Summary notes from the May 21st South Project Advisory Team Meeting:
Working Group Comments
The three working groups had overwhelming agreement on the most significant concerns and suggestions for siting the transmission line. The most often-repeated concerns and suggestions are listed below.
Overall SummaryConcerns
Participants in all three working groups identified the following concerns with the Boardman to Hemingway project:
(1) • Disruption to agriculture and farming
-Protect Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) land.
- Transmission line could reduce farming efficiency and productivity.
- The line could adversely affect irrigation infrastructure.
(2) • Honesty and credibility of Idaho Power
- Some property owners do not trust Idaho Power
- PAT members are concerned that Idaho Power will not use their input
(3) • Property values
- Placing the transmission line on farmland will decrease property value
- The transmission line will destroy future land development
Suggestions
Participants in all three working groups identified the following suggestions for siting the transmission line:
• Avoid Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) land.
• Site line on public land.
• Use existing corridors.
• Give irrigated farmland land priority.
• Cross rangeland before farmland.
• Avoid view sheds.
• Avoid historic landmarks.
• The line should follow the highway.
• Avoid new growth and city impact areas.
• Shadow an existing line.
• Follow land boundaries as much as possible.
• Avoid urban areas, children, and schools.
• Consider wildlife areas.
(to be continued in a future blog post)
