Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power are continuing discussions with counties, landowners, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify potential alternative routes for the Gateway West transmission project in Wyoming and Idaho, according to an Idaho Power news release.
Reasonable alternatives developed by Sept. 4 will be analyzed by the BLM in the draft Environmental Impact Statement to ensure alternative routes address public concerns and meet the utilities’ objectives for the project.
With this change, the draft Environmental Impact Statement is now scheduled for release in spring 2010.
These discussions and studies are part of the National Environmental Policy Act process which requires an Environmental Impact Statement be issued for this project. Since the BLM’s initial scoping in 2007 and 2008, additional input has been provided by the utilities, local government officials, landowners and the general public prompting this action.
“The utilities have listened to the concerns of landowners and other stakeholders regarding line routes,” said Richard Walje, president of Rocky Mountain Power. “This extension is a welcome development. We remain committed to evaluating all reasonable options and are taking steps to address areas where consideration of additional alternatives may benefit the project and the public.”
Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power proposed in the Gateway West project to build approximately 1,150 miles of high-voltage transmission lines from Glenrock, WY, to Melba, ID. The lines will increase the transmission capacity of the two utilities in order to meet customers’ growing need for electricity and will contribute to the economic vitality of local communities across Wyoming and Idaho, according to the power companies.
“Collaboration is key to the successful siting and construction of this necessary transmission line project to ensure safe, reliable electric service to our customers and those across the region,” said Lisa Grow, vice president of Idaho Power.
“Over the past seven months, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have been working closely with communities and landowners to discuss potential alternatives to the proposed route,” said Walt George, BLM’s Gateway West Project Manager.
“The BLM has been listening to these suggestions. We want to ensure communities and groups have full opportunity to share their ideas. This effort is consistent with BLM’s responsibility under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to coordinate with state and local governments. The additional information will contribute to the analysis and will help us make better decisions,” said Don Simpson, BLM Wyoming State Director and the BLM’s decision maker for the project.
Tom Dyer, BLM Idaho State Director, praised elected officials for raising constituent issues associated with siting the transmission line route. “We appreciate the constructive efforts of Idaho’s elected officials, including Idaho’s Congressional delegation, to forward concerns of their constituents. We share their desire to have all interested groups and individuals working with the BLM, and Idaho and Rocky Mountain Power companies, to develop alternatives for the environmental impact statement. The Draft EIS will allow all interested citizens to compare proposed routes and provide constructive input to the BLM and other authorizing authorities so they may make informed decisions. We encourage participation by all groups interested in the NEPA process.”
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter also applauded the decision to review alternative routes before completing the environmental impact statement.
“There’s no doubt that we need more and better ways to get electricity from one place to another, especially here in Idaho. But that can’t mean shortchanging private property rights or engaging in unnecessary conflicts. This is a great opportunity to work collaboratively toward achieving a solution we all can live with,” the governor said. “I’m encouraging the BLM, utilities and all the parties involved to review their options and work through the challenges as quickly and professionally as possible. What we do with Gateway West will go a long way toward showing the federal government that we can resolve our own issues here in Idaho.”
Additional meetings will be coordinated in local areas by the two utilities, local governments and interested groups. Meetings were held Monday and Tuesday, July 20 and 21, in Arbon Valley and American Falls.
The utilities encourage the public to participate in the process and provide their comments directly to the BLM. Comments can be provided by e-mail at Gateway_West_WYMail@blm.gov or by regular mail to: Bureau of Land Management, Gateway West Project, PO Box 20879, Cheyenne, WY 82003.
More information about the Gateway West Project is available through the Links section of The Press website at www.press-times.com.