In 2007, Idaho Power initiated the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (B2H Project) and began an extensive environmental review and permitting process with federal, state and local governments in Idaho and Oregon.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the lead federal agency conducting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process in conjunction with many cooperating agencies. Additionally, the Oregon energy facility siting process, conducted by Oregon Department of Energy– Energy Facility Siting Council (ODOE-EFSC), includes a detailed analysis and permitting process in cooperation with Oregon counties and other state jurisdictional agencies.

• Idaho Power initiated the B2H Project.
• Idaho Power began collecting existing data for the preliminary routing process.
• Idaho Power filed an Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands (Standard Form 299 or SF-299) with the BLM on December 19, 2007.

• Idaho Power filed an SF-299 with the U.S. Forest Service on March 28, 2008.
• Idaho Power met with county planning and zoning staff, community leaders and elected officials to brief them on the project.
• Idaho Power met with BLM and ODOE-EFSC staff to discuss the project and potential routes.
• Idaho Power hosted the Baker Valley Stakeholder Meeting on July 22, 2008 with Baker Valley representatives to share information on how the preliminary routes are being developed, and to collect feedback on concerns and opportunities.
• In August, Idaho Power presented a proposed route and alternate routes to the BLM and ODOE-EFSC.
• On August 28, 2008, Idaho Power submitted its Notice of Intent (NOI) to submit an Application for a Site Certificate to ODOE-EFSC.

• Idaho Power continued meeting with interest groups, communities and elected officials.
• On September 12, 2008, the BLM published its Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register.
• Public scoping meetings were jointly held by the BLM and ODOE-EFSC from October 21-30, 2008. Idaho Power participated in the public scoping meetings.

• Idaho Power continued meeting with interest groups, communities and elected officials.
• The ODOE-EFSC published its Project Order on January 26, 2009.
• On March 9, 2009, Idaho Power announced its Community Advisory Process (CAP).
• On April 3, 2009, Idaho Power removed the Northwest Source Station (formerly known as the Sand Hollow Substation) from the project proposal.
• On April 10, 2009, the BLM published its Public Scoping Report.
• On May 14, 2009, ODOE-EFSC held a project informational meeting in Baker City, Oregon, and participated in a tour of Malheur County.
• In May, BLM and ODOE jointly mailed the first issue of the B2H Newswire (project newsletter).
• On May 21, May 27 and June 4, 2009, Idaho Power convened the first round of meetings with the South, Central and North Project Advisory Teams (PAT) as part of the CAP.

• Idaho Power continued meeting with interest groups, communities and elected officials.
• On July 28, 29 and 30, 2009, Idaho Power held the second round of PAT meetings for the North, Central and South PATs, focusing on the development of community siting criteria. Idaho Power announced public meetings as part of the CAP process in August.
• From August 19 – 27, 2009, Idaho Power conducted its first series of public meetings as part of the CAP process.
• In September, Idaho Power held the third round of PAT meetings for the North, Central and South PATs, focusing on preliminary mapping of routes based on resource and community criteria.

• Idaho Power conducted CAP open houses in John Day and Burns, Oregon on October 21-22, 2009.
• In November 2009, Idaho Power held the first and second round of Grant and Harney County PAT meetings.
• Idaho Power held a Project Order and Idaho Routing Meeting on November 30, 2009.
• In December 2009, Idaho Power held the fourth round of meetings for the North, Central and South PATs, which included a presentation on the status and analysis for each PAT-proposed route and the analysis methods used to evaluate the routes.
• Idaho Power held the third round of meetings for the Grant and Harney County PATs on January 19 - 20, 2010.
• Idaho Power’s technical team refined the initial proposed routes to improve their potential permitability.

• In March, Idaho Power held the fifth round of meetings for the South, Central and North PATs and the fourth round of meetings for the Grant and Harney PATs to present analysis of revised routes and proposed alternative routes and requested comments on its three route alternatives.
• On April 6, Idaho Power announced it will submit the eastern route alternative as its proposed route in its revised applications to the BLM and USFS and its notice of intent to ODOE.
• In April and May, Idaho Power held the sixth round of meetings for the South, Central and North PATs and the fifth round of meetings for the Grant County PAT to discuss the proposed route and share information about future public participation opportunities.

• In June, Idaho Power submitted its revised Standard Form-299 Application (SF-299) and Preliminary Plan of Development to the BLM and USFS to reinitiate the federal review process.
• In July, Idaho Power submitted a new Notice of Intent to Apply for a Site Certificate to the ODOE.
• In July, Idaho Power hosted CAP open houses.
• On July 16, ODOE, BLM and USFS reopened the public scoping and comment period and announced public meeting dates. The agencies requested comments from the public and other agencies on Idaho Power’s routes and related documents.

• Idaho Power will continue to meet with interest groups, communities and elected officials.
• Idaho Power will submit any additional permit applications as necessary.
• The BLM will review all new comments and publish a Revised Scoping Report documenting comments from the 2008 and 2010 comment periods. The BLM, with assistance from cooperating agencies, will determine which issues and routes will be analyzed in detail in the EIS.
• ODOE will review public and agency comments and issue a Project Order identifying the issues Idaho Power must address in its Application for a Site Certificate.