Stop B2H Coalition continues the fight
By Terry Murry on Monday, April 10th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
SALEM – The Oregon Supreme Court ruled for Idaho Power in its quest to build a transmission line from the Idaho border to Boardman. The court ruled in favor of the Oregon Department of Energy’s Facilities Siting Council last month. The Stop B2H Coalition said that was a blow that leaves five Eastern Oregon counties (including Umatilla and Morrow counties) unprotected from damage caused by the construction. That is not, however, the only front the coalition is fighting.
Next up, Idaho Power is seeking to achieve a certificate of public necessity and convenience which is necessary for the utility to proclaim imminent domain. It is being contested by eight parties. The coalition says that cross-examination will be April 19-20 and two briefings are set for next month. The case is expected to conclude near the end of June.
Stop B2H opposes the certificate because the organization believes there are alternatives and that a long-distance overhead line is not publicly necessary.
“It could be an option, but not one that would rise to such a level as to condemn people’s land,” the group stated. “Idaho Power knows that the industry is changing rapidly and wants to build this line before (as STOP predicts) an overhead line like this is obsolete.”
The coalition states that before signing an agreement, landowners should be provided with detailed maps and an assessment that includes things like the value of timber or agricultural products that the owner could produce and sell over the 100-year life of the B2H line.
