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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2022)
Port of Morrow mourns the loss of Ryan Neal 50¢ VOL. 141 NO. 4 8 Pages Wednesday, January 26, 2022 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon High voltage power line location brings crowd to county meeting Route through Morrow County controversial Boardman Hermiston Bombing Range Pine City Pilot Rock Lexington Where the high voltage power line will be located in Morrow County is still undetermined. There is a current proposed route and an alternate Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) proposed route currently under consideration. By David Sykes Although the long-run- ning plan to build a 280- mile power line from Hemmingway, Idaho to Boardman may finally be close to construction, last week’s commission meet- ing proved there is still controversy over where the line will be located in Morrow County. A large crowd, mostly farmers and ranchers whose land will be under the power line, crowded the meeting room and into the hallway listening as Idaho Power representatives gave a proj- ect update, and explained how the company plans to obtain needed easements to build the high-voltage 500kv line. Morrow County Plan- ner Tamra Mabbott told the crowd she and Com- missioner Melissa Lindsay organized the meeting after hearing frustrations from area landowners with the siting process. “I heard from landowners in the Butter Creek area about the frustrations they have with the siting process of the Boardman to Hemming- way line,” she said. “It’s been underway for 20 years now and more robustly for the last 10 years,” she explained. Mabbott said she and Lindsay contacted officials from Idaho Power asking them to attend and talk to landowners as a group, “get the truth out” and dispel rumors circu- lating around the project. Company representatives have apparently been in the area for some time talking to land owners about poten- tial easements. At the meeting from Idaho Power were Joe Stip- pel, project manager, Kurtis Funke, real estate specialist and Jeff Maffuccio, siting coordinator. Also, there and giving a presentation was Kellen Tardaewether, senior siting analyst with the Oregon Department of Energy which is also in- volved in the process. Tardaewether start- ed off giving a complex and detailed explanation of where the Oregon cit- ing process is currently, and what’s left before final approval is given and con- struction can begin, which is expected to be in 2023. Officials say construction of the high-voltage line should take three to four years. The process has been very complex and a look at either the B2H (which the power line has come to be called) or the Oregon Energy De- partment web sites shows thousands of pages of engi- neering, environmental and planning documents, maps and images. But last week it came down to just the landown- ers in Morrow County who may be under the power line, face to face with the company representatives who will put it there. “I understand how everyone feels and I know it’s not a pleasant topic,” said Maf- fuccio, adding he did ap- preciate the “open dialog” with property owners. “We want clarity on what we are trying to do, looking at a different route through this area. I know everyone’s preference is for us and this project to go away,” Maffuccio said bluntly to the crowd. “Everyone is hoping for us and the proj- ect to go away, but that’s not where Idaho Power is at right now,” he said, indi- cating the project is moving NEW 2022 FOR food. The concerned citizen fed the man and called the Sheriff’s Office with her concerns. Deputy Daniel Thom- as, Deputy Tamara Beard- sley and Undersheriff John Bowles responded and lo- cated the man in downtown Heppner. The subject ad- vised he was okay and was looking for a way to leave town. He advised he took a truck from Pasco and ran out of fuel in Heppner. The truck was located nearby, and the keys were locked inside. Dispatch confirmed that the vehicle was stolen out of Pasco. Contact was made with the The Port of Morrow has announced the unexpected passing of their leader and friend, Executive Director Ryan Neal. Neal passed away the morning of Janu- ary 18, 2022, from compli- cations due to COVID. “We lost a key member of our port family. We are all adjusting to the news. ble to bury the high voltage lines as it costs too much money, up to 15 to 20 times the cost of overhead lines. Another farmer in the proposed path of the line asked why the company had to keep pushing the project when it would affect so many people’s lives in a negative way. “There will be impacts on their lives for the rest of their lives, including myself, and those hazards and risks seem completely overlooked,” he said adding he thought the county commission should investigate those risks. He said the line will represent “a huge firestorm that’s go- ing to happen,” saying the lines start moving around when the wind blows. “The data shows those lines can start arcing at 35 mph and the wind at our place was recently pushing 50 mph. Nobody has done their re- search and you guys don’t care,” he said of Idaho Power. “When that thing lights up my wheat field then I’m done farming that for six years.” Maffuccio said as part of the Oregon siting pro- cess, the company is now looking at an alternative route rather than the orig- inal path through Morrow County, mostly to avoid wind power construction sites. “We started talking with some landowners about how we can avoid major constraints like the wind farms that are going on. We need to get it (the power line) away from wind farms and away from some landowners,” he ex- plained. Maffuccio said he understood that with the group he was facing, “What is most acceptable is none at all, but we are going to find something between here and there.” Project Manager Stip- pel said the company’s goal is come to agreement with all the affected landown- ers and obtain easements across their properties for the line. “We are committed to working with landowners to minimize the impacts. forward regardless. The company is in the process of making an adjustment on the route, and that ap- plication is in front of the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). “We’re still looking at this as a major opportunity, along with Pacific Power (a partner, along with Bon- neville Power) to serve customers in the future by sharing energy between the mountain west and the Pacific west,” he explained of the need for the project. Maffuccio said there is wind development in Wyo- ming and solar in Idaho that is and will be generated and the company plans to “share it throughout the Northwest and the Pacific Northwest”. He said Idaho Power is the minority owner of the line along with Pacific and Bon- neville Power. An example of the opposition to the project came from one Morrow County landowner, Leonard Van Burean, who also has property in Washington underneath high voltage lines. He says he has experi- enced fires and electrically charged tools and equip- ment from the electricity and doesn’t want this now happening to his Morrow County property. (See re- lated story, pg.2). When asked, Idaho officials said it truck owner who advised was not economically feasi- the Sheriff’s Office to go ahead and open the truck to retrieve the keys. Spe- cial Deputy Terry Harper responded to assist, as he E L E VAT E YO U R A DV E N T U R E is the resident expert with locks. The truck was then moved to the Sheriff’s Of- fice until the owner could pick up the vehicle. John Quincy McClam- my, 22, transient, was ar- rested and charged with Unauthorized Use of a Mo- tor Vehicle. He was lodged in the Umatilla County Jail (UCJ) with a bail of $10,000. UCJ also has men- CHECK OUT THE ALL-NEW tal health assistance for 2 0 2 2 P O L A R I S L I N E U P. WE’LL HELP YOU LOCK inmates if needed. I N W H AT Y O U W A N T. Transient arrested for stolen vehicle in Heppner On January 19 at 5 p.m., the Morrow County Communication Center re- ceived a call from a female in Heppner, reporting a dis- oriented man going through garbage cans, looking for Ryan Neal His loss leaves a big hole. It won’t be easy,” shared Marv Padberg port commis- sion vice-president. “I know this will be a huge loss. I admire Ryan’s dedication to the region and port industries. My heart goes out to the Neal family,” says Rick Stokoe, port commission president. After working in sales and management across the Pacific northwest, Neal was offered the opportunity to return to his hometown of Boardman in 2015 when he was hired for a management position at the Port of Mor- row Warehousing. Neal began his role as Port of Morrow Executive Director in 2018. He was passionate about giving back to the community he grew up in. We will not pursue it unless we have 100 percent buy-in from everyone,” he said. However, later when one person in attendance asked if Idaho Power would use eminent domain, or the taking of private property through legal action for public use, he was told, “We try to get an agreement with every landowner the best we can, but unfortu- nately when we come to an impasse, yes we will have to. We prefer to keep it a negotiation between us and the landowner and not get the courts involved but unfortunately if that has to happen it’s a path Idaho Power and the partners will go down,” an official said. One member of the audience said going with eminent domain would not be good for the company’s image. “It will be bad pub- licity for Idaho Power and will get in all the press,” he pointed out. “How do you guys as a company present this as an opportunity to us? Now that we have this huge power line. What do we do to turn this into an opportu- nity for us rather than just say, ‘Here it’s coming,’” he asked. Idaho Power says it provides a potential back- bone for future renewables development. Representa- tives said all power compa- nies across the country and every utility are being told “get rid of coal. Coal mar- kets are such that it is not affordable or feasible. What we’ve had for the last 60-70 years is coal and it is going away,” they said, adding that natural gas (generation) “is the next one to go.” “Solar and battery are the next viable technology, and I don’t know what’s after that,” officials said, adding that the line “opens up the ability for landowners to have those products on their property. There is a lot of sun here,” he added. That prompted a com- plaint from other property owners who don’t currently -See POWER LINE/PAGE EIGHT CALL 541-989-8221 ext 204 for more information WARNING: Polaris ® off‑road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on‑road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. 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