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Opinion Important for public to weigh in on power line
Important for public to weigh in on power line
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With so much at stake in Idaho Power’s proposal to build its power line
from Boardman to Hemingway, Idaho, it is tremendously important that
Eastern Oregon residents make their voices heard. The utility is planning to stretch a 500-kilovolt transmission line smack through Northeast Oregon, 300 miles from Morrow County to Malheur and beyond. There may be an unavoidable need for such a project, but there is also a clear need to preserve and protect the environmental and cultural resources our region is famous for. Stand up and speak out. At a recent meeting hosted by the Oregon Public Utility Commission in Baker City, a legion of citizens did just that. The more than 100 people in attendance had every right to be concerned, since the proposed line will cross both public and private lands and will inevitably mar scenic views and effect farm and ranch operations. The PUC is charged with determining whether there is a genuine need for the line, and Idaho Power makes a persuasive case. According to testimony from the company, demand for electricity is on the rise and and the ability to meet the demand just isn’t there. Kip Sykes, the company’s manager for transmission policy development, said demand is such in peak months that regional bottlenecks are occurring. He also said the utility can’t keep up with requests from power generators who want to connect to the transmission system. But people at the meeting asked if there might be another way. John Milbert of La Grande wondered whether it might be feasible to build local generating facilities at Hemingway, where a lion’s share of load growth is occurring. Karen Yeakley of Baker City suggested looking at alternative forms of power, or seeking solutions in partnerships with other power providers. The PUC is the agency that will rule on whether there is an over-riding public need for the power line. Assuming the ruling goes in Idaho Power’s favor, the matter will be passed on to the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Committee, which will decide on the line’s final route. Several route options have been considered, but for now, all of them are off the table. Another thing to be settled is the writing of the Bureau of Land Management’s environmental impact statement. The EIS process offers citizens more opportunities to speak their minds. If the line must be built, the best people can hope for is a route where impacts are held to a minimum. On that score, Idaho Power should spare no effort. And citizens need to involve themselves to the utmost. They should stay abreast of developments, testify at meetings and hearings, and do everything else possible to make their concerns known to Idaho Power and the local, state and federal agencies involved. To date, public participation has been high. Keep the pressure on. |
