About the Community Advisory Process

Idaho Power is committed to partnering with communities to identify proposed and alternate routes for the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (B2H Project).

The initial process of identifying a route began in late 2007, when Idaho Power submitted documents to the BLM, the USFS and the ODOE-EFSC. Following the public scoping meetings held in October 2008, these agencies received public input requesting Idaho Power to conduct more extensive outreach while identifying the transmission line route.

In response, Idaho Power initiated a process to engage communities from Boardman, Oregon to Melba, Idaho in siting the B2H Project. This process is called the Community Advisory Process [PDF, 642 KB].

Idaho Power will conduct a comprehensive and inclusive public process [PDF, 539 KB] to locate proposed and alternate routes for the B2H Project.

• Identify community issues and concerns and develop criteria for evaluating possible routes. Integrate community’s criteria with regulatory requirements.
• Develop a range of possible routes that address community issues and concerns. Several routes will be identified through public mapping sessions. Routes that do not meet the criteria will be eliminated.
• Recommend proposed and alternate routes. The proposed and alternate routes will be carried through the siting process.
• Follow through with communities during BLM and ODOE-EFSC reviews. Idaho Power will resubmit applications to the BLM and the USFS, which will proceed with a review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The ODOE-EFSC will also proceed with a thorough review.

The public will be involved in every step of the process, through project advisory teams, a project coordinating team and public meetings.

• Project advisory teams will meet in the three geographic areas - north, central and south - to identify issues and concerns and lead the process of recommending routes.
• Public meetings will occur at every milestone. The public will be asked to review and comment on the project advisory teams’ work. The teams will consider and incorporate public input.
• A project coordinating team, made of representatives from the project advisory teams, will bring together the work of each team and ensure the route transitions smoothly between geographic areas. Community Advisory Process updates will be posted to this Web site.

This Web site is the joint Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project site. Information contained on this site is approved for posting by Idaho Power. Visit the Idaho Power Web site.