JEROME, Idaho — Jerome County commissioners have postponed a decision on an appeal to withdraw permits for an energy transmission line that first received approval 30 years ago.
The Southwest Intertie Project (SWIP) energy transmission line, which would link southern Idaho to Las Vegas and southern California, was the focus of a Monday night Jerome County Commission hearing. Appellants Dean Dimond and Julie Wolfe-Arroyo asked the commission to overturn Planning and Zoning's permit approval for the portions of the line that cross private lands in Jerome County.
An intertie is an interconnection that allows electric current to flow between two or more utility systems.
WATCH MOMENTS FROM THE 2-HOUR HEARING ON SWIP
"We're common folk, and we're asking the board to help protect our rights as common folk," Dimond said.
Dimond argued that the planning and zoning approval of a special use permit was incomplete, arguing that the county had not incorporated the right-of-way for transmission lines issued in 1993 into county planning documents.
"I emailed (the clerk) and verified it, there are no maps, nothing accounting for a Jerome county zoning ordinance," Dimond said.
Many landowners since then have purchased land unaware of the line's right-of-way impacting their property.
Lyle Johnstone testified that he lives within the 3-mile corridor for the intertie, and expressed frustration about notification issues.
"When I bought the piece of property that I live on, nobody saw fit in planning and zoning and the commission to make sure that new property owners in that 3-mile strip were notified that this was a project," Johnstone told the commission.
Despite the Lava Ridge wind energy project being called off, vocal opponents of energy projects continue to sound the alarm about other energy development proposals in southern Idaho, including the SWIP line that would carry that power to market.
State Rep. David Leavitt from Twin Falls said the proposed SWIP line would be linked to Lava Ridge, even though the Lava Ridge project has been halted. Leavitt went on to explain that the SWIP line would require some energy production in the area that currently doesn't exist.
"I personally believe that they're intrinsically connected because there has to be power generated to put on those lines for us to go in transmitting," Leavitt said.
Kevin Jones of Eden testified in favor of the intertie.
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"From an agriculture and business perspective, reliable energy and infrastructure is not optional; it is essential," Jones said.
Great Basin Energy is a subsidiary of LS Power, the same company that sought to build the Lava Ridge wind energy project. Their representative Lane Singleton said the intertie was a stand-alone project and did not rely on or trigger new energy development in the area.
The commission tabled the hearing for more time to consider all the evidence and will resume for a decision on the appeal on October 7.
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