Groups oppose nuke plant

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

by Robert J. Taylor

Mountain Home News

On Wednesday night the Elmore County Planning and Zoning Commission heard from groups that are neutral to or opposed to the request by Alternative Energy Holdings, Inc. to rezone approximately 1,345 acres of Agricultural A zoned property to Heavy Industrial in order to build a nuclear power plant on land southwest of Hammett.

The commission heard from one neutral group and 13 groups in opposition to the plan.

The groups ranged from residents and farmers of Hammett trying to convince the commission the rezone would not fit into the county's comprehensive plan and would disrupt their agriculture community, to groups outside the county trying to argue the same point, to groups outside the county offering little more than anti-nuclear seminars to the panel that were either loosely or not at all related to the county's comprehensive plan.

The commission's decision must be based on how the rezone would affect the county's comprehensive plan and specifically address two questions:

1) Would a change in zoning of the subject site from Agriculture A to Heavy Industry be in accordance with the comprehensive plan; and,

2) Does the proposed development agreement appropriately limit uses in the requested Heavy Industry Zone, if the change were to be approved?

The commission heard from a number of speakers who lived between a quarter of a mile and five miles from the proposed site.

They had a number of concerns with the proposed rezoning, including the water usage of the plant, the use of spot zoning to rezone the land, the lifestyle change the plant would bring with it, the boom/bust cycle of workers into the community to construct the plant and the strain it would cause on the county's infrastructure and budget, the use of prime agriculture land to be turned into heavy industry land, the storage of nuclear waste on the land and the perceived lack of answers to the questions that holes in the application beg to be asked.

Bob Bledsoe, whose farm is located to the east and southeast of the proposed site, spoke on behalf of farmers and ranchers from the Hammett/Indian Cove area.

He said the group did not believe the rezone was in the best interests of the people of Elmore County.

Nor did he think the plant would enhance the livability of Hammett or that the livability of Hammett needed enhancing.

"A nuclear power facility would not enhance the livability of the community and would actually degrade our existing lifestyle," Bledsoe said. "Our lifestyle does not need to be improve. It is just fine the way it is."

Diana Hooley spoke on behalf of citizens living in the Snake River Valley. She said rezoning the land would be a mistake because of the number of family farms surrounding the land and the lack of power lines and grids at the site. She said the Snake River is shallow at the site and she couldn't imagine a nuclear power there.

She also expressed concern of what would happen if the power plant isn't completed for financial reasons and what would happen to the land after it was rezoned as heavy industrial.

She said the plant AEHI CEO Chairman Don Gillispie has said he'll use isn't currently being operated anywhere in the world.

"Do we really want to rezone a property for a nuclear plant that has no previous track record?" she asked the board.

Nancy Blanksma, speaking for long-time Elmore County/Hammett/Indian Cove residents, said rezoning the land from its historic use as agricultural land to heavy industrial would be in direct contradiction of the Elmore County Comprehensive Plan.

She used her time to point out areas of the application she and the members of her group thought were in direct conflict with the plan, including spot zoning, and expressed concerns about the period of time the county would wait to see an increase in tax money once the project is operational.

She also expressed concern about the strain on the county's infrastructure and public services due to the number of people who would move to the county as temporary workers to build the facility. She said expanding services for temporary workers and their families would be a burden carried by the current taxpayers and would be unneeded and unused once the workers left for a new project.

She then went though the county's comprehensive plan and pointed out ways she thought the request did not fit into the county's plan.

She said the rezone in no way protects agriculture land, would dramatically affect land values of surrounding properties by affecting the agricultural nature of Hammett, questioned if the water usage would fit into the plan, and said it would violate the county's plan to only put heavy industrial areas in the Simco Road area.

She said the rezone would go against much of the intent of the county's plan.

Edwin R. Schlender, from Mountain Home, of Elmore Citizens Against Loss of our Rural Lands, spoke on the importance of maintaining farmland for its intended use.

"Are we going to be a nation that has to go down to the pier and wait for the ship to come in to feed us?" Schlender asked after presenting statistics on the number of farms and acres of farmland lost in the past and the rising number of agriculture imports.

He said while electricity is important, one can live without it, but not without food or water. He said he isn't anti-nuclear but didn't think farmland needed to be used for industrial use.

Boise-based Snake River Alliance had several reasons for opposing the request and despite being a "nuclear watch dog" organization, focused mostly on how rezoning the land would not fit into the comprehensive plan.

Concerned Healthcare Workers and the Sierra Club, Middle Snake Group, loosely used the county's comprehensive plan as a platform to speak against nuclear power plants in general while Joe Weatherby (speaking on behalf of the groups Treasure Valley Against Nuclear Reactors and Land Air Water Sustainability), Idaho Families for Safest Energy spokesperson Pete Rickards of Twin Falls, and Alma Hasse from ICARE used their allotted time to speak largely against nuclear power.

The Boise Astronomical Society, the lone neutral group at the hearing, requested the commission enact an ordinance requiring proper exterior lighting at the site to avoid "light pollution" of the sky at the public observatory at Bruneau Dunes State Park.

Before representatives of groups spoke, the commission addressed a memo they received earlier in the day from Gillispie asking to withdraw the development agreement from the application.

The board decided to proceed with the hearing as advertised (which included considering the agreement) and agreed to hear testimony related to both the development agreement and the application.

Sharp said she did not know how the commission will proceed with the withdrawal request at press time.

At 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29, the commission will hear from individuals in opposition of the request. Individuals will have three minutes to speak and the commission will stop hearing testimony at 10:30 p.m.

Bonnie Sharp, director of Elmore County Growth and Development, said the board wanted to hear from all those with concerns but was not sure what arrangements would be made if the number of individuals who wish to speak extended past 10:30 p.m.

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  • If you are going to report...at least report the facts. That is NOT what went on at the hearing and if that is all you walked away from the hearing with is that...you did not listen very well.

    Try "reporting" the news for a change. Just because Kelly is "for" the plant does not mean that we all are.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Wed, Oct 29, 2008, at 3:53 PM
  • Why don't you try helping us understand what DID go on at the hearing, instead of telling us what did NOT go on? I know it would require you to frame things affirmatively, instead of negatively, but Kelly's summary seems accurate to me.

    -- Posted by I want jobs on Thu, Oct 30, 2008, at 1:25 PM
  • Prediction: P&Z will allow the rezone but deny the plant. Shortsightedness for Elmore County, for sure.

    Do your personal research and learn about the nuclear plants of this century; the truth about their designs and safety records. And an added bonus is this: they are non-polluting.

    They are not to be feared but since most of this county tends to stick their heads in the sand and only believe what someone else is saying, what do you expect?

    Wake up! This county and state are in the grip of an energy crisis and it will only get worse with the growth that is happening now and that which is coming.

    Our energy needs will far exceed the capacity we have now. What will we do then? Buy energy from elsewhere and then see the cost increase exponentially to the local consumers?

    Stop being frightened by ignorance and influenced by a lack of facts. Do your homework! Find the truth for yourselves!

    -- Posted by Whyarentyoulistening? on Thu, Oct 30, 2008, at 3:28 PM
  • Geez Kelly, next time please spare the details! You loaded so many facts into this story my mind hurts. Please dumb it down a little and quit trying to be so , ummm, neutral.

    The truth is in 20 years of public hearings, I have never seen such articulate local citizens rip the nuke company a new one! I was so impressed with the testimony and details opposing this rezone, none of which is reported, for obvious prejudicial editing.

    Here is an url for thge video from Channel 2, featuring Diana Hooley. I paste below that the KMVT news story, which unfortunately does not include a video link, but provides details...Peter

    http://www.2news.tv/news/32703449.html

    MOUNTAIN HOME - Wednesday night's hearing was the first step in deciding whether land near the Snake River could be rezoned industrial, paving the way for a nuclear power plant. 14 groups testified. They all appeared to be against the rezoning.

    People in favor of nuclear power say it's a clean source of energy that doesn't pollute the air, but critics say it's dangerous. That's why a proposed nuclear power plant in Elmore County is not going up without a fight.

    Diana Hooley represents a group called "Citizens Living in the Snake River Valley." She's speaking out against the project.

    "I have to say that I think it was a site of convenience," Hooley said.

    She says she's not opposed to nuclear power plants, she just doesn't like the idea of this one going up in her backyard.

    "Using all that water 365 days a year, you know we're farmers, we're irrigators, they're going to pull that water out and it may hurt farmers all along the river. We don't know," she said.

    Hooley represents one of many groups who are worried.

    "There are a lot of concerns around hazardous right now there are no places to store hazardous waste in the United States. There are concerns around water," said Jessica Ruehrwein, Regional Conservation Organizer for the Sierra Club.

    In the past, Alternate Energy, the company proposing the power plant, has said it's a visionary project that will bring new jobs to the area. But no one from the company was there Wednesday to state their case.

    "I don't think there's a clear idea yet of what is being proposed and what some of the risks are to our communities and to future generations," Ruehrwein said.

    One thing is clear. Alternate Energy still has many hoops to jump through.

    _________________________________________

    http://www.kmvt.com/news/local/33117384.html

    Elmore Co. residents voice their opinions about proposed nuclear plant

    By Brittany Cooper

    Story Published: Oct 23, 2008 at 5:52 PM CDT

    Story Updated: Oct 23, 2008 at 5:52 PM CDT

    10/23/08

    Last night Elmore County residents voiced their opinions against a proposed nuclear plant that will be near Hammett.

    Fourteen groups testified against or were neutral to a proposed nuclear power plant at a public hearing held at Mountain Home Junior High.

    They are responding to the possibility of the land being rezoned industrial for the plant.

    CEO and President Don Gillespie of Alternative Energy Holdings says on the website, the rezoning application will 'provide a safe and reliable power source for Idaho and the nation'.

    But others take a different stance.

    Dr. Peter Rickards, Idaho Families for the Safest Energy says, "Nuclear Power is the only power source that can have such an accident that you have to impound crops and evacuate families for up to 100 miles away, if not farther, depending on which the wind blows. This is why it's too big of a risk for Idaho to take."

    Bob Bledsoe represents the farmers and ranchers from the Hammett-Indian Cove area and he says, "My farm is within 0.5 mile from most locations, ¼ mile in one location and my home is 1.5 miles to the southeast of the site."

    His group opposes the site.

    "I think the construction, the number of employees, just building the plant would be a serious problem in that area, the infrastructure of Elmore County, there would be a lot of problems."

    With much opposition in the room, the Boise Astronomical Society takes a neutral stance. Dr. Irwin Horowitz says, "Our concerns are with regards to any exterior lighting they would implement and the impact it would potentially have on Bruneau Dunes State Park."

    -- Posted by DrPeterRickardsDPM on Fri, Oct 31, 2008, at 10:09 AM
  • whyarentyoulistening:

    Why are you not listening? Nuclear does not pollute! Is that a joke? What do you call the tons and tons of nuclear waste that sits? Or, the water from these things that is "leaked" into rivers and lakes? That is not pollution? How do you figure? Water. Where will all of the water from this come from? Did you read the letter from IDWR regarding this? Would you want to live next door to one of these? Well, you might but others who live right there, do not want it next door to them much less in their backyards.

    Idaho Power has been working on the energy issue. They state there is no problem and more power will be brought on line in the next3-5 years. Only 1% of Idaho's power is purchased from nuclear production. So, how much do you really think Idaho will buy at AEHI's price? We have to pay the "going" rate. No special deals but we get all of the waste. GREAT deal for Idaho.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Fri, Oct 31, 2008, at 2:22 PM
  • opinionmissy

    yes, having actually done the research, rather than blindly parroting the left wing party line; I would be happy to have the plant built next door. And after reading your many postings to this website all I can say to you is Listen for the loud pop!

    -- Posted by Whyarentyoulistening? on Tue, Nov 4, 2008, at 10:28 AM
  • "Idaho Power has been working on the energy issue. They state there is no problem and more power will be brought on line in the next3-5 years. Only 1% of Idaho's power is purchased from nuclear production. So, how much do you really think Idaho will buy at AEHI's price?"

    opinionmissy

    Spoke with Idaho Power; in 2007 - 28% was "purchased off system". Again after contacting the proper authority and doing actual research, I'd say they would be buying from the plant. Do you just pull numbers out of where you head is or what, how about naming your sources!

    For the rest of the readers, please do your own research, get the facts! Don't believe just anything without checking!

    I repeat this plea...Stop being frightened by ignorance and influenced by a lack of facts. Do your homework! Find the truth for yourselves

    -- Posted by Whyarentyoulistening? on Tue, Nov 4, 2008, at 12:32 PM
  • The energy crisis that one speaks of is a bit outdated. The average Idaho power customer pays .0558 per KwH which is very low. that cheap power cant be supplanted by nuclear.

    -- Posted by twilcox1978 on Wed, Mar 11, 2009, at 2:12 PM
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