Gilbert

I understand that David Thiesfeld (“Stop B2H should face reality”) is an unwavering supporter of the B2H project. I fail to understand why he is so opposed to STOP B2H’s efforts to minimize some of the damages this project will cause Oregon citizens and resources.

In its most recent action, Stop B2H is requesting that the Oregon Department of Energy require Idaho Power to do the following:

1) Identify wells and springs within 1,000 feet of blasting, and perform pre- and post- tests on water flows and water quality, not just turbidity.

2) Make the bond equal to the amount necessary to restore the site, not the current $1 (one dollar) amount.

3) Revise its Wildfire Mitigation Plan to include the period of construction, and to use local data on lightning and wildfire risks.

4) Comply with limits on road construction, tree removal and bird habitat protection as required by the Forest Practices Act.

5) Continue to enforce the 30-day notice requirement for residents adjacent to helicopter landing and takeoff sites, and address noise and safety issues due to helicopter flights over schools, churches and hospitals.

At present, none of the requests are being supported by Idaho Power, Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) or the Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). Unless we win a contested case or an appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court, it is not likely that any of the requests will be honored.

Readers should be encouraged to fact-check Idaho Power and its partner PacifiCorp at sites such as findenergy.com/providers. They will find that only about 20% of PacifiCorp’s energy is from renewable sources. Of Idaho Power’s 612,758 customers, less than 20,000 are in Oregon. They serve customers in 25 Idaho counties, but only two counties in Oregon.

PacifiCorp, which owns over 50% of the development, has been found liable for damages from the 2020 Oregon fires that may result in billions of dollars of damages. PacifiCorp has stated that the damages could place the company in financial jeopardy, but ODOE appears to believe this is not relevant to their decision.

I spent most of my career interpreting and applying local, state and federal regulations for the Workers Compensation Department, Adult and Family Services Division, and Oregon Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). I have been attempting to provide some level of accountability in the Oregon Department of Energy and Energy Facility Siting Council activities for over a dozen years as a representative of the public interest.

It is clear that Idaho Power sees this transmission line as providing a means to maintain and increase its profits. The less it pays for the use of and damages to Eastern Oregon resources, the greater its profits. For those of us living here, it is our land and our heritage that is being taken from us, and the least we expect is to be fairly compensated for the negative impacts we are left with.