Landowners affected by Gateway power line project try to raise money to fight it
You could be seeing new power lines through Power and Cassia counties soon.
But if landowners have their way the power won’t be on their private ground. Those landowners met Tuesday at the American Falls Library to talk about fighting the issue.
Landowners discussed money was their biggest defense. That’s the way they’re trying to get the power line moved from their private land onto public.
It’s going to cost them $12,000. So far they’re only a third of the way to their goal. The counties have budgeted their share, but landowners still have a long way to go.
They said they’ll keep working on it because they believe the power line is a bad idea.
“I’m opposed to the project in the respect that it’s invasive and it will affect our farming methods,” said Stephen Wegner, a Rockland farmer whose land the line would cut through.
William Meadows, a former Rockland farmer who donated money to the group, said he thinks it will hurt the county, too.
“High tension power lines also inhibit the ability of our county, I think, to add business in the future,” said Meadows.
“We have corridors for a reason, we have public right of ways for a reason, and it makes zero sense to me to establish new ones when, by Idaho Power’s own admission, this project is not needed for the state of Idaho and does no good for the residents of our state,” said Cory Kress, head of the landowners group.
Those whose land would be affected by the line said they have another fear, too.
They’re worried that if they can’t stop the power line, they won’t even be fairly compensated for their ground. The power company is paying $2.2 million per mile to put up the line. In comparison, farmers get $1,000 per acre, or $20,000 per mile. That’s only a one-time payment. Landowners said that scale just doesn’t balance out.
“The compensation for the direction they’re going to go is completely ridiculous,” said Wegner.
Landowners said they need to stick together and show the power company they’re not backing down.
“I feel that we have to stand up and do the right thing,” said Meadows. “I think running the power line through an area such as Rockland isn’t the right thing.”
Rockland would be only one of the areas affected by the new line. The rest of Power County and Cassia County would be affected, too. County commissioners said they support the landowners 100 percent.
They are trying to reach out to everyone affected by the new line, as well as entire communities. They are hoping people will support their cause and donate. Farmers directly affected said they have donated all that they can at this point and so they need more help.
They need to raise the money before the power company determines exactly which locations they want and starts laying towers.
