GOODING, Idaho — Several large-scale commercial energy projects like Taurus Energy and Lava Ridge have gained attention based on their scale, and many residents across the Magic Valley have registered their opposition to likely transformations of the landscape that would result. In response to public input, many counties have looked in to ordinances to put guidelines on energy development for private lands.
- While counties do not have authority to approve or deny energy projects on federally managed public lands, they are able to regulate private lands
- On Monday, Gooding County Planning and Zoning held a hearing on a draft ordinance that would establish guidelines for acceptable energy development. Commments from the hearing will be used to update the draft ordinance, and will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission at a likely hearing in January.
- Gooding does not have an ordinance that addresses wind or solar energy production; a concern to many residents in attendance at Monday's hearing
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
“I don’t know if you can see, there’s a transmission line right here," said Teri Dorchuck.
Teri Dorchuck has lived at her Hagerman property near the Snake River for 11 years.
"The start of the 20 acres that is under lease is just on the other side of that transmission line," explained Dorchuck.
Rapid advances in renewable energy have prompted a lot of interest in the Magic Valley in recent years, and Dorchuck is concerned that an energy company proposing a battery storage facility right next to her home, would impact her family and the whole valley.
It’s not the first time she’s interacted with energy companies.
“We’ve had a number of energy companies reach out to us over the last couple years, their interested in some of the property that we own to do a battery energy storage system and we basically have just told him we’re not interested or ignore them, thinking that they would go away," said Dorchuck.
As several large-scale wind projects proposed for public lands like Lava Ridge and Taurus Energy have prompted widespread public opposition, many smaller scale energy projects on private land have emerged as well and counties are taking on the energy future with new guidelines
Gooding County doesn’t currently have ordinances governing development of renewable energy production or storage infrastructure, but that’s all about to change.
"It’s a new bottle of wax, we do not have a energy ordinance.” Gooding County Planning and Zoning Compliance Officer Cynthia Scott told me. “We have a special use permits that are in our Ordinance 104, but this is a whole new ordinance for starting from ground zero and building something that will protect the investments of the property owners in our county.”
Scott spoke to me before the hearing about the draft ordinance under consideration that drew out hundreds of citizens to testify.
"This really shows us that people are informed people to stay informed, and they stay active and and helping us build our county and our ordinances," said Scott.
The draft energy ordinance defines areas eligible for wind and solar energy projects, stipulating that no energy project can be placed on prime farmland, that fire protection be addressed, preservation of historical and cultural resources, and that projects limit the visual impact.
“I want to stress to people how important it is that we stand up for the rights of preserving our environment around us, and keeping our environment safe,” Dorchuck said.
