MAY 5, 2009 PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Todd Lakey, (208)323-5393

Citizens Group Forms to Fight Construction of High Voltage Power Lines on Farmland
Protect Canyon County says Idaho Powerʼs current plans for 500kV transmission lines are bad for farmers and residents. A group of Canyon County residents have organized as Protect Canyon County to work with the public and Idaho Power to ensure that 190-foot tall, high voltage power line towers wonʼt threaten the livelihoods or traditions of area farmers and other residents.
Earlier this year Idaho Power proposed building the lines, part of a large expansion project stretching from Boardman, Oregon to a substation to be built near Melba, Idaho, through dozens of family-owned farms in rural Canyon County. After an outcry from local residents, Idaho Power tabled those plans and announced a “community advisory process.” Protect Canyon County will be actively involved in this process, advocating construction of the towers on more remote public lands.
John Hartman, a Canyon County farmer whose family has farmed their land for over 100 years, doesnʼt think Idaho Power understands the unique and highly specialized nature of farming in western Canyon County. “We donʼt farm large tracts of land like they do in most parts of the country, so we have to rely heavily upon technology and precision farming to stay competitive,” Hartman said. “Itʼs very hard to be precise if you have a 190-foot tower supported by a forty by forty foot concrete base in the middle of your field.”
Hartman and other area farmers say that if Idaho Power locates the new lines on farmland, the County will likely lose a large part of their economic base as the farmers are forced to switch to less profitable crops or reduce their acreage. “Our ground is extremely rich, which allows us to grow a lot of specialty seed and vegetable crops,” Hartman said. “Building these towers on our farms will make crop dusting and using existing irrigation and harvesting equipment very difficult, jeopardizing our livelihoods and those of the many companies that support us.”
For their part, Idaho Power has recently announced a series of public forums to gather input from residents and local community leaders on the details of the project, known as the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H) 500kV transmission project. “The decision to build giant high voltage power lines through working farms when there are clearly better alternatives, is something that should not be made hastily or without citizen involvement” said Todd Lakey, spokesman for Protect Canyon County. “We give Idaho Power credit for making an effort to be more thoughtful and communicative throughout this process and we look forward to encouraging citizens to become involved.”
Protect Canyon County is a grassroots effort by local farmers, businesspeople and other residents hoping to engage with Idaho Power, regulators and local governments to ensure that all options are being considered. They are cautiously optimistic that through ongoing community involvement, the lines will be placed in more remote areas. “We recognize that the transmission lines are going to eventually be built, ” Lakey said. “Our goal is to make sure they are built smartly, with serious consideration given to the families who live and work here.”
Protect Canyon County plans to educate and connect concerned citizens through a series of events over the coming months.