Hermiston
A4
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2015
B USINESS
HERMISTONHERALD.COM
Umatilla County favors southerly powerline route
County previously
wanted line along
I-84; senators ask
for extension to
comment period
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Staff Writer
The Umatilla County
Board of Commissioners
would rather see the pro-
posed Boardman to Hem-
ingway transmission line
built farther south, as op-
posed to paralleling Inter-
state 84.
The board sent a memo
in October to the Bureau of
Land Management support-
ing the “Umatilla South”
alignment that commis-
sioners say would limit
most impacts to farmland
and wildlife.
Boardman to Heming-
way is a 500-kilovolt, 300-
mile transmission project
that, if permitted, would
allow Idaho Power to swap
electricity between south-
ern Idaho and the Columbia
Basin during peak demand.
Power lines would run from
a substation at Boardman to
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Eastern Oregon counties.
Routing the line has be-
come a source of conten-
tion in the area due to inter-
ference with local farms. A
number of route variations
have been studied in the
BLM’s draft Environmen-
tal Impact Statement re-
leased in December 2014.
Earlier this year, Uma-
tilla County submitted
comments written by Com-
missioner George Murdock
noting that most residents
opposed the project. But,
Murdock added, if the proj-
ect must be built in Uma-
tilla County, lines should
follow an existing corridor
along I-84.
Five months later, on
Oct. 6, the board supported
a new alternative — Uma-
tilla South — that places
the line south of the inter-
state away from farms near
McKay Creek. Commis-
sioner Larry Givens said
the route also appears to
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of Washington ground
squirrel habitat.
“Our concern and our
FILE PHOTO
Todd Adams, left, of Idaho Power, discusses the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project with farmer Earl Aylett during a public meeting early this
year in Boardman.
obligation is to do what’s
best for Umatilla Coun-
ty,” Givens said. “The I-84
route impacts far more ir-
rigated farmland and resi-
dences than Umatilla South
does.”
The BLM recently made
I-84 its preliminary, envi-
ronmentally preferred alter-
native for the line running
from Boardman to just west
of Pendleton. From there,
it would dogleg south to
avoid the Umatilla Indian
Reservation.
The BLM is not bound
by the environmentally pre-
ferred alternative, and all
route variations will be an-
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mental Impact Statement
next summer.
As cooperating agen-
cies, Eastern Oregon coun-
ties now have until Jan. 8 to
comment on the BLM’s re-
vised preferred alternative.
Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden
and Jeff Merkley do not
believe that’s enough time
for the counties to conduct
a thorough review. The sen-
ators, both Democrats, sent
a letter Monday to Jerry
Perez, state director of the
BLM, asking for a 45-day
extension of the comment
period.
“Many landowners that
are impacted by proposed
and alternate routes for the
transmission line have not
seen all the routing op-
tions,” they wrote. “As we
understand, the cooperat-
ing partners have already
planned to hold public
meetings, yet the timeline
that the BLM has put forth
makes any concerns col-
lected during those meet-
ings moot.”
Morrow County will
hold a public meeting to
collect input on Wednes-
day, Jan. 6, at the Port of
Morrow. Umatilla County
has not scheduled a public
meeting.
Planning Director Tam-
ra Mabbott said it has been
challenging to engage local
landowners possibly affect-
ed by the project.
“I think it has put these
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pretty precarious position,”
Mabbott said.
Good Shepherd upgrades mammography equipment
Good Shepherd Health Care Sys-
tem recently improved its mammog-
raphy equipment to improve breast
cancer screening.
Realizing the sensitive nature and
need for providing the best mam-
mography system possible, Good
Shepherd acquired what it says it the
most advanced mammography exam
equipment currently available, Ho-
logic Genius 3D Mammography by
Selenia Dimensions.
“When we were looking for a new
mammography system, we knew we
didn’t want to settle for the status
quo,” said Rober Rose, diagnostic
imaging manager for Good Shepherd.
“We wanted to provide peace-of-mind
for our patients. This led us to search
out the best possible solution for the
women we serve in our community
and the best resolution images avail-
able for our radiologists to use in di-
agnosing.”
GSHCS mammography technolo-
gists, Susan Ross and Amy Seavert,
also completed an eight-hour training
course on how to conduct the new
exam
The new system provides a three
dimensional image for radiologists to
review with up to 60 images.
GSHCS staff say the new system is
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large or dense breasts.
Information based on clinical trials
indicate the new technology increases
breast cancer detection by 41 percent
and reduces false positives by 40 per-
cent.
Erna Bevington, a former employ-
ee of Family Health Associates in
VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 67
Gary L. West
Jade McDowell
Editor
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541-564-4536
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Jeanne Jewett
Community Editor
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com
541-564-4539
Multi-Media Consultant
jjewett@hermistonherald.com
541-564-4531
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klaplant@hermistonherald.com
541-564-4538
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Hermiston, praised the technology.
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40,” Bevington said. “It was a very
unpleasant experience back then. I re-
cently had my mammogram and was
told about the new equipment when I
made my appointment. This was such
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She said “the clarity of the mam-
mogram and the ability to see every-
thing was amazing....”
The average exam only lasts about
15 minutes.
GSHCS Diagnostic Imaging De-
partment will be hosting an open
house event for community members
to see the new equipment for them-
selves on Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 5
to 7 p.m. at 610 NW 11th St., Herm-
iston. Light refreshments will be
served. To RSVP, call 541-667-3460.
Student video contest pays out cash prizes
High school students are
encouraged to get creative
and enter a video contest
with cash prizes ranging
from $300-$500.
Organized by the Or-
egon Young Employee
Safety Coalition, past en-
tries have used drama, rap
music and special effects to
share workplace safety and
health messages in the an-
nual video contest, “Speak
up. Work safe.” Entries can
include music, storytelling
with quirky characters or
serious themes addressing
the potential for on-the-job
accidents.
Students must create
a 90-second or less vid-
eo with the overall theme
of “Speak up. Work safe.”
Submissions are due Mon-
day, Feb. 1. Guidelines
are available at www.
youngemployeesafety.org/
video_contest.
For more information,
contact Mark Peterson at
503-947-7868 or mark.pe-
terson@oregon.gov.
More information and entry forms at hermistonhorsesaleextravaganza.com
Let us help you sell your horse!
February 13 th & 14 th , 2016
Same Place, Same Great Sale
CATALOG ENTRY FORM - Email: horseextravaganza1@gmail.com • Website: hermistonhorsesaleextravaganza.com