BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020
L OCAL B RIEFING
Chamber awards banquet Jan. 11
State council extends B2H review
mission line that will run
through fi ve Oregon counties
PENDLETON — The
and one in Idaho.
next step in the controversial
To continue with the
Boardman to Hemingway
proposed project, Idaho Power
Transmission Line project
must secure a site certifi ca-
and its pursuit of state ap-
tion from the EFSC, which
proval will have to wait at
oversees the development
least another month.
of large energy facilities
The Oregon Energy Facil- throughout the state.
ity Siting Council (EFSC)
During the two-day meet-
fi nished just a quarter of its
ing, the EFSC met to review
review process for the proj-
the draft proposed order, the
ect’s draft proposed order at
public comments on the draft
its monthly meeting in mid-
— of which there were more
December at the Red Lion
than 470 individual com-
Hotel in Pendleton, meaning menters — and Idaho Power’s
the review period will con-
response to those comments.
tinue at January’s meeting in While changes and sug-
Hood River.
gestions for the order have
“This is a big and complex already been made by DOE
project,” said Todd Cornett,
staff, which is recommending
the assistant director for the the council approve the order,
Oregon Department of En-
this month’s meeting allowed
ergy (DOE), who also served for the council to clarify its
as council secretary. “But it’s own concerns to staff and to
a really important part of the provide other feedback.
process for the council to be
Ultimately, the purpose of
able to evaluate what’s been the council is to evaluate the
done and ask questions.”
application from Idaho Power
Idaho Power, a Boise-
within the context of over
based company, is leading
a dozen standards that all
the permitting aspect of the
energy facilities in the state
project, though Pacifi cCorp
must meet.
and Bonneville Power Ad-
“It’s a standards-based
ministration are also involved review,” said Kellen Tar-
in trying to construct the
daewether, a senior siting
300-mile, 500-kilovolt trans- analyst, who has worked
By Alex Castle
East Oregonian
as one of the project’s staff
leaders for the DOE. “The
applicant has the burden
of proof of demonstrating
whether or not they’ve met
the standards. The council
isn’t discretionary. Everything
is based in rules, statutes and
ordinances, and there must
be legal authority for the
decision-making process.”
Though the other proj-
ects on the council’s agenda
pushed much of the review
until next month, the council
did get through discussions of
general, organization, struc-
tural, land-use and soil stan-
dards, which included public
concerns, such as wildfi re
risks, erosion and blasting.
One of the problems with
B2H, however, is that many
of the public’s concerns of it
can’t adequately be addressed
by the EFSC.
“For all of those folks that
commented about land ac-
cess, or having an easement
on their property, or whether
or not Idaho Power has con-
tacted them to have conver-
sation about any of that, the
council doesn’t have jurisdic-
tion over that,” Tardaewether
said. “There’s nothing the
council can do to address that
issue.”
Irene Gilbert, co-chair for
the Stop B2H Coalition in La
Grande, attended the meet-
ing both days and continues
to be disappointed with the
council’s response to potential
issues the public is raising.
“They do it with every
standard, which they’re
supposedly evaluating in a
black-and-white sort of way,”
she said. “They identify the
problems with it, and then
decide that none of the prob-
lems are substantial. So it
isn’t an objective process, it’s
very subjective.”
Cornett, however, stressed
that the project still isn’t at a
decision-making stage quite
yet.
Once the council fi nishes
its review, the project will
move into a contested case
stage, where people who
submitted “relevant” verbal
or written comments by the
public comment deadline may
further contest the order.
Once the contested order
has been heard and any fi nal
recommendations have been
made, then the fi nal order
may be issued and voted on
by the council. If approved, an
appeal to the order will go di-
rectly to the Oregon Supreme
Court.
The 90th annual Baker County Chamber of Com-
merce Awards Banquet is set for Saturday, Jan. 11, at
5:30 p.m. at the Baker Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St.
Tickets are $40 and are available at the Chamber,
490 Campbell St. More information is available by call-
ing 541-523-5855.
City parks board meets Tuesday
The Baker City Parks and Recreation Advisory
board will meet Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5:15 p.m. at City
Hall, 1655 First St.
Agenda items include the planned construction of
an all-abilities playground at Geiser-Pollman Park this
spring, an update to the city’s parks master plan, board
goals for 2020 and a proposed project at Sam-O Swim
Center.
Programs at Interpretive Center
The BLM’s Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is open
Thursday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with
a variety of programs and pioneer demonstrations
scheduled.
The Center, just north of Highway 86 about 5 miles
east of Baker City, offers a pioneer story program at 2
p.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays, and pioneer demon-
strations Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m. A ranger-led
program, “Oregon Fever!” is offered at 11 a.m. each day
Thursday through Sunday.
The Center’s network of 4.2 miles of paved trails
is open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trails are not
cleared of snow.
Free admission days this winter are Sunday, Jan. 19,
in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Monday,
Feb. 17, in honor of Presidents Day.
The hands-on “Wagons Ho!” exhibit opens Jan. 24 in
the Flagstaff Gallery. Visitors can pack a wagon, dress
in pioneer clothing and learn more about daily life on
the Trail.
Admission for adults is $5; seniors $4; and children
15 and under are free. America the Beautiful Inter-
agency Park Passes are accepted.
The Center returns to its regular schedule, open
daily, on Feb. 17. For a calendar of daily activities as
well as special events in 2020, go to oregontrail.blm.gov
Eastern Oregon University recognized for academic programs
EO Media Group
LA GRANDE — Eastern
Oregon University received a
slew of national and regional
recognitions in 2019, includ-
ing a No. 1 spot for its online
Fire Services Administration
program.
The College of Business
also earned distinctions for its
online economics degree (No.
9 nationally), online business
administration degree (No.
12), and its no-application-fee
online Master of Business
Administration program (No.
16). Now under new leader-
ship from Dean Edward
Henninger, the entire college
was named a College of
Distinction.
“Our online College of Busi-
ness programs continue to
receive very favorable evalu-
ations and national rank-
ings by independent online
publication sites dedicated to
helping students and their
families fi nd the right higher
education option,” Henninger
said. “The rankings confi rm
our commitment to providing
affordable, high-quality and
responsive degree programs
to serve the diverse academic
and career needs of stu-
dents. We are proud of such
recognitions and each serves
to heighten our dedication to
academic quality, student ac-
cess and career readiness.”
Overall, EOU was ranked
No. 9 for online bachelor’s
degrees in Oregon, and No. 10
for accredited online colleges.
The university jumped to
No. 77 in the U.S. News and
World Report’s ranking of
universities in the West and
came in at No. 37 among pub-
lic schools in the region.
“Rankings like this let
prospective students know
that EOU is providing high-
quality, transformational
education in the West,” said
Matt Seimears, Dean of the
College of Education.
Prioritizing access to edu-
cation, Oregon’s Rural Uni-
versity was also ranked No. 4
for affordable online colleges
and No. 5 among those in the
Pacifi c Northwest. Plus, EOU
earned a Bronze recognition
for being Military Friendly.
Specifi c programs also
stood out in the rankings.
The newly revived MFA in
Creative Writing was named
No. 4 among online master’s
degrees in creative writing.
Health and Human Perfor-
mance also saw stand-out
reviews for its exercise
science program (No. 4) and
online public health program
(No. 11).
The College of Education
also earned top honors for
its online master’s degree
program (No. 20), and online
early childhood education
program (No. 25). It’s also
under new leadership from
Dean Seimears and was
named a College of Distinc-
tion.
“When students come into
a program and begin to see
what their future can look
like, that is priceless,” Seime-
ars said.
United Way of Eastern
Oregon closes its doors
By Sabrina Thompson
The (La Grande) Observer
LA GRANDE — United
Way of Eastern Oregon closed
its doors on the last day of
2019.
Alex McHaddad, interim
president of the La Grande-
based charity, explained a
number of factors played
roles in pushing the orga-
nization’s board to vote to
end operations, including
the structure of United Way
of Eastern Oregon. Rather
than have a specifi c focus or
cause, he said, United Way of
Eastern Oregon served as the
collection point that passed
contributions to other chari-
ties and service organizations
in Union and Baker counties,
including Baker City Back-
pack program, the Mount
Emily Safe Center and Shel-
ter From the Storm.
“Today people aren’t as
familiar when funding is
generalized,” McHaddad
said, and thus less likely to
give to a clearinghouse type
of model instead of directly
to organizations and causes
they value.
United Way of Eastern
Oregon on its 2016 tax fi ling
reported total revenue of
$78,011 and total expenses
of $53,157, leaving an excess
of $24,854. But the following
year’s tax fi ling shows rev-
enue dropped to $73,482 and
expenses leaped to $104,654,
putting the organization
more than $31,000 in the
hole. The organization on its
2018 tax fi ling shows revenue
plummeted to $52,777. Total
expenses dropped as well, to
$60,814, but that still left a
defi cit of $3,539.
“We lost some sources
of revenue in 2017, but we
didn’t make changes to the
budget,” McHaddad said.
Changes in federal tax law
made charitable donations
less appealing for corpora-
tions, he said, and United
Way of Eastern Oregon in
recent years lost some major
corporate sponsors, including
The Observer, which contrib-
uted to the charity’s annual
September golf tournament.
But the real hit to the bot-
tom line, he said, came from
Oregon’s change that nixed
employee payroll contribu-
tors.
The charity’s board notifi ed
partner agencies on Oct. 25
about shutting down but
did not reveal the decision
to the public until last week.
McHaddad said that was
in part because there was
a chance operations could
continue. He said the board
held out hope some federal
funding would come through,
but that did not happen.
“If it wasn’t for all the
structural things falling
through, we probably could
have survived,” McHaddad
said. “But this is not the end
of United Way being here.”
United Way of Eastern
Oregon already has passed
through the money it received
for specifi c organizations,
McHaddad said, while money
without a designation will go
to various charities. He said
any remaining funds will
be seed money for whatever
takes over the United Way for
the counties.
“We are trying to save
as much money as possible
when closing so that we can
have more to give to the com-
munity,” McHaddad said.
United Way Worldwide is
working on which branch
could assume coverage of
Union and Baker counties,
he said.
Boise and Bend have
United Way operations, but
the nearest is the United Way
of Blue Mountains, which has
offi ces in Walla Walla and
Pendleton. That branch came
about in the summer, when
the United Way of Umatilla
and Morrow counties merged
with the United Way of Walla
Walla and Columbia counties.
Ring in the
new year!
Have a happy
& safe 2020!
Tax Reform Benefits
Continue for
Oregon Customers
Idaho Power’s Oregon customers continue to receive a
rate benefit resulting from federal tax rate changes that
occurred in 2017. Idaho Power recently requested an
increase of $36,151 to the annualized Oregon jurisdictional
benefits associated with tax reform, increasing the total
benefit to more than $1.5 million.
If this proposal is approved by the Oregon Public Utility
Commission (OPUC) as filed, the typical Oregon residential
customer using 1,150 kilowatt-hours of energy per month
would see a $0.06 decrease on their monthly bill beginning
June 1.
Idaho Power’s filing is subject to public review and OPUC
approval. Copies of the application are available at OPUC
offices (201 High St. SE, Suite 100, Salem, OR 97301-3398),
the OPUC website (oregon.gov/puc), Idaho Power offices
and Idaho Power’s website (idahopower.com).
Written comments can also be submitted to:
Oregon Public Utility Commission
201 High St. SE, Suite 100
Salem, OR 97301-3398
Thank you for being our valued customer!
2390 Broadway, Baker City
541-523-5223
idahopower.com