March 3, 2017
CapitalPress.com
9
Idaho
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Environmental group appeals Gateway West line
By JOHN O’CONNELL
Capital Press
BOISE — A Hailey, Ida-
ho-based environmental or-
ganization has appealed the
Bureau of Land Manage-
ment’s approval of a high-volt-
age transmission line route
through sage grouse habitat
on public land and requested
a halt of the start of construc-
tion.
The Gateway West Trans-
mission Line was jointly pro-
posed by Rocky Mountain
Power and Idaho Power and
would span more than 1,000
miles from Glenrock, Wyo.,
to Melba, Idaho, including
850 miles of 500-killovolt
line.
Offi cials of Western Wa-
tersheds say the route they
prefer, BLM’s Alternative 1,
would have less impact on the
embattled native bird and is
also the preferred route of the
power companies.
However, BLM offi cials
Gateway West Transmission
Line routes spark debate
ID A H O
84
Boise
Mountain Home
Legend
Approved right-of-way*
BLM preferred alternative
Proposed routes
Feasible alternatives
Highway
Substation
15
Idaho
Falls
Power Co.
Melba
MONT.
American
Falls
Pocatello
25
Glenrock
Casper
WYOMI NG
84
Twin Falls
15
Cokeville
Rawlins
N
NE V.
Cassia Co.
UTAH
40 miles
Source: www.gatewaywestproject.com
Alan Kenaga/Capital Press
80
Kemmerer
Laramie
80
*Approved ROW pertains only to public lands administered by Bureau of Land Management.
note Alternative 1 would also
cross through 50.5 miles of
agricultural and private land,
mostly in Gooding County,
compared to 32.7 miles under
the agency’s approved route,
called Alternative 5.
Farmers have fought differ-
ent segments of the line pass-
ing through Power and Cassia
counties. Their attorney, how-
ever, has suggested a route that
would minimize disturbance
on private lands. In November
2013, BLM approved a record
of decision for eight of 10 sec-
tions of its preferred route, in-
cluding the segments contest-
ed by farmers.
A record of decision on the
remaining two segments was
approved Jan. 20, having been
delayed to review impacts on
the Morley Nelson Birds of
Prey National Conservation
Area in Western Idaho. An ap-
peals period on that decision
ended Feb. 24. BLM spokes-
woman Heather Feeney said
a few other appeals were also
fi led, and all will be considered
by the Interior Board of Land
Appeals.
Feeney said BLM’s ap-
proved option avoids priority
sage grouse habitat under the
agency’s recently revised land-
use plan. Erik Molvar, execu-
tive director of Western Wa-
tersheds, believes the habitat
classifi cations are based more
on politics than science.
“The idea that what you
have is less critical habitat is a
fi ction,” Molvar said. “To us it
makes no sense to re-route this
transmission line all the way
south to head into sensitive
sage grouse habitat.”
Molvar also questions the
need for the line. Mark Stokes,
engineering project leader
with Idaho Power, said the line
will help the power companies
transmit solar and wind power
that it’s federally obligated to
buy. He said solar and wind
power are highly variable and
must be transmitted to where
it’s most needed or can be sold.
Stokes said the companies
are now working with local
offi cials and landowners, and
construction won’t start until
sometime between 2019 and
2024.
Doug Balfour, the farmers’
attorney, believes Western Wa-
tersheds’ appeal may help “de-
lay the project again.”
“Nothing is going to hap-
pen quickly,” Balfour said.
“Maybe it will inspire BLM to
suddenly talk with us.”
Balfour said Idaho law
grants siting authority for pow-
er lines to counties, and coun-
ty commissioners support his
growers’ cause, which could
leave the line “dead-ended” on
the federal land.
Stokes said the power com-
panies will work diligently
with landowners, but ulti-
mately, they have the option
of approaching the Public
Utilities Commission to pur-
sue condemnation.
“We haven’t done that in
decades,” Stokes said.
Amalgamated Sugar suffers ‘phishing’ breach
Capital Press
By SEAN ELLIS
Capital Press
BOISE — Five people
involved in Idaho’s farming
industry have received gover-
nor’s awards for excellence in
agriculture.
“On behalf of a grate-
ful state, thank you for the
work you do all day long,”
Gov. Butch Otter, a rancher
and farmer, told the recipi-
ents Feb. 21 during the Larry
Branen Idaho Ag Summit.
The recipients join almost
80 other people or businesses
that have received the awards.
“The list reads like a who’s
who in Idaho agriculture,”
Idaho Ag Summit Executive
Director Rick Waitley told
Capital Press in an email.
“Idaho agriculture is rich
with great leaders who have
built, maintained and have a
vision for the future of our in-
dustry,” he said. “You would
like to give 20 awards a year
but that is what makes the rec-
ognition special — fi ve and
only fi ve (receive the awards
each year).”
A lifetime achievement
award was presented to Doug
Gross, whose award write-up
called him “one of the most
innovative and successful po-
tato producers in the state.”
Gross owns a 1,500-acre
diversifi ed farm in southwest-
ern Idaho and is often asked
to be a spokesman on Idaho
potato issues.
“Doug has been the ex-
ample that many have
looked to for successful
operation techniques and
strategies,” his write-up
states.
R. Garth Sasser, who re-
ceived a degree in dairy sci-
ence from the University of
Idaho, received an award for
technical innovation.
After a 32-year faculty ca-
reer at the University of Idaho,
Sasser and his wife, Nancy,
started a business, BioTrack-
ing Inc., that is based on a
blood protein associated with
pregnancy that he discovered
during his research.
“The signifi cance of fi nd-
ing, identifying and commer-
cializing the blood protein for
these test kits is that every
competing company in the
world that tests for pregnancy
uses the ... class of proteins
that Dr. Sasser discovered,”
his write-up states.
Brothers Doug and Art
McIntosh,
fi fth-generation
farmers from Northern Idaho,
received an award for market-
ing innovation.
According to their write-
up, the two have tried to take
advantage of current consum-
er trends, diversify their op-
eration and add value to their
agriculture production.
They joined Idaho Pre-
ferred to take advantage of
that state branding program
for their organic products.
They sell their wheat berries,
fl our and organic oats directly
to consumers.
Sid Cellan, who owns and
operates a 2,100-acre dryland
farm near Soda Springs, re-
ceived an award for environ-
mental stewardship.
“While Sid is viewed by
his neighbors as an excellent
farmer and one who raises
quality crops, he is also re-
spected in the region and has
set a standard for improving
and sustaining wildlife habi-
tat for everyone to enjoy,” his
write-up states.
Steve Wilder, an FFA in-
structor at Meridian High
School, received an award for
education advocacy.
During his 36-year teach-
ing career, he “has positively
infl uenced several thousand
students involved in the Me-
ridian Agriculture, Science
and Technology Program,”
his award write-up states.
Wilder was also a key
player in convincing law-
makers to pass the 2015 Ag-
ricultural Education Initiative,
which provided about $2 mil-
lion more a year for secondary
ag education in Idaho.
and identity theft protection
services through Lifelock for
them.
There’s been no indication
that the culprits have sought
to use any of the data, ac-
cording to the press release.
McCreedy said the com-
pany is examining its pro-
tocols and implementing
measures to prevent a future
breach.
Labrador: Idaho should be ag innovation capital
By SEAN ELLIS
Capital Press
BOISE — Idaho can and
should be the nation’s lead-
er in agricultural technology
and innovation, U.S. Rep.
Raul Labrador says.
With a wealth of expe-
rience and leaders in many
areas of agriculture, the state
has an opportunity to lead
the way in ag technology and
modernization, the Idaho Re-
publican said Feb. 22.
“We should be the capi-
tal for agricultural modern-
ization and innovation in
the whole United States,”
Labrador said during a Food
Producers of Idaho meeting.
“We need to fi gure out, How
do we become the pioneer for
the new technology in agri-
culture?”
FPI’s membership in-
cludes most of the state’s
main farm and livestock or-
ganizations and agribusiness-
es. Labrador spoke to FPI
before heading to the state
Capitol to address the House
of Representatives.
He told FPI members that
while he is not a farmer and
didn’t grow up aground agri-
Sean Ellis/Capital Press
U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, left, speaks with Food Pro-
ducers of Idaho members Feb. 22 in Boise. He said the state has
the farm-related assets in place to become the national leader in
agricultural technology and innovation.
culture, he has hired people
such as Brad Griff who have.
Griff handles agriculture is-
sues for the congressman.
“He grew up doing the
stuff that you guys are deal-
ing with,” said Labrador, who
encouraged FPI members and
others to contact Griff about
any farming-related issues.
He also spoke about the
immigration issue and said
that border security needs to
be addressed fi rst because
until that happens, every-
thing else will be obscured by
the politics of the issue.
He said the nation needs
an immigration system that
“does not hurt America’s
economy and American
workers. But until we fi x this
security issue, we can’t even
have that discussion.”
Labrador also commend-
ed President Donald Trump
for the selection of Neil Gor-
such to fi ll the vacant U.S.
Supreme Court seat.
He said he believes Gor-
such is someone who will
protect the U.S. Constitution
and decide cases based on the
rule of law.
“That will make a differ-
ence for your industry more
than any policy that will
come out of the White House
or Congress,” Labrador
said.
Labrador said he has a
good relationship with Trump
and noted that the president
is pretty much doing exact-
ly what he said he would do
during his election campaign.
15-5/16 x 10 x 2
18-3/4 x 14-3/8 x 3
9-1/#7
Five Idahoans
receive awards for
excellence in ag
Courtesy of Amalgamated Sugar
Computer “phishers” have stolen personal data about Amalgamated Sugar Co. employees.
CALL FOR PRICING AND AVAILABILITY.
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503-588-8313
2561 Pringle Rd. SE
Salem, OR
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Special Section
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April 14, 2017
By advertising in this Special Section, you’ll be reaching over 89,000 print
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Sean Ellis/Capital Press
Gov. Butch Otter, right, presents an award for excellence in agri-
culture to Steve Wilder on Feb. 21 during the annual Larry Branen
Idaho Ag Summit. Four other people also received governor’s
awards during the event.
NAMPA, Idaho — Offi -
cials of Amalgamated Sugar
Co. say a computer security
breach led to the release of
the personal information of
many of its employees.
The breach resulted from
a so-called “spear phishing”
email. The hacker sent an
email posing as Amalgamat-
ed President and CEO John
McCreedy requesting copies
of the employee data from a
corporate employee, accord-
ing to a Feb. 22 press release.
Amalgamated
offi cials
said they learned of the
breach within hours and no-
tifi ed local law enforcement,
the offi ce of the Idaho attor-
ney general, the State Tax
Commission, the FBI and
the IRS. Letters have been
sent to affected employees.
Amalgamated will cover the
costs of credit monitoring
ROP-7-4-2/#13