These comments were recorded at the May 27 public meeting in Soda Springs, Idaho. Various parties commented. Please see attached document for comments.

Hi,

My name is Jade Gomez. I grew up in Soda springs, and I still visit often. I heard there is a possibility of a power line going up out in hyway 34 and by the old China Hat store. Please don't allow this. It's so beautiful out there. We want to continue to enjoy the scenery - not the power lines. Please work with Monsanto and have it put up in the haul road. Thanks for your time. :)

Jade Gomez

I've been sitting on the sidelines thinking you all would come to the conclusion to take that power line down the haul road. the most sensible way to go.

Now it looks like I need to come and say it. TAKE IT TO THE HAUL ROAD!!!!!!!!!

We live and work out there and I have all my life.

If it takes please, You got it. I'll do what ever it takes to keep you from ruining our view out there.

I hope you will make the sensible choice and move it. 

-- thanks for your cooperation,

The meeting held at the Tigert Middle School in Soda Springs on May 27, 2014 was very informative.  We do appreciate your time and effort in setting up this public meeting.

We were greatly surprised to hear Eric announce that the preferred route for the power line would be the one to encumber the China Hat area and our horse barn and the scenic byway.  What was even more flabbergasting was to hear him say there was no special reason for this decision that it was just the way it is!

Our preference from the very beginning of Bonneville Power taking over for Lower Valley Energy was to have them follow the same general route on the haul road.  This keeps the line out of sight, does not encumber the farm land and is not a safety issue for the public.

Monsanto, Jim Smith, seemed very willing to work with Bonneville Power to accomplish the haul road route.  It appears that with Monsanto and Bonneville Power working together that all would benefit.

Having made our thoughts known again we will NOT be giving permission at this time to Bonneville Power or their associates for access to our barn area for any reason including soil samples or appraisals.

Karen and Keller Crane

As a concerned rancher it is coming to my attention about the desire to run a power line down through the China Hat area. As a rancher in the area I don’t feel that would be very beneficial to us there where we are not even benefiting from the power line. I feel it will cause problems in farmers’ fields which we all work very hard to maintain and keep in the up most shape. We that maintain the ground there in the China Hat area want it kept very clean and pretty and a new big power line will not benefit the looks of the area. It has also come to my attention that Monsanto has agreed to let you guys run your power line along with theirs to run down to the Meadowville sub-station. I do know that going down through the China Hat area is probably cheaper to run the power line in a straight line and won’t be so costly as to run it along with Monsanto’s. With that said there is still easy access with Monsanto’s line and it is probably a little longer route but it keeps it out of the farmers way and we don’t want a big old power line or pole sticking out in the middle of a nice field planted with wheat or barley or even alfalfa. We like the look of our little area and we want it to stay that way so please listen to the concerned farmers and ranchers in the area, don’t just brush our comments aside please listen.

We are property owners along the Hooper Springs Line being proposed. 

We are very much against putting this line down highway 34.  We think it should

go down the Haul Road.

We purchased our property not too many years ago.  The realtor said one of the

greatest values of our property and for which we paid more was for development.

We have a mile of frontage on the highway, some very nice farm ground and a mile and

a half of the Blackfoot River that runs through our property. It is close to the Blackfoot Reservoir

and China Hat and China Cap.  It is a very nice property in a beautiful area. 

A big high tension line down that highway would ruin our property for development.

We feel that we have been misled about the problems of putting the line along highway

34.  We were told it would run along the present fence line and more or less be a small

upgrade to the existing line.  Now we find a100 feet easement is required and it would set at least 50 feet into the field.  That would be 71/2 acres of our property and would ruin the frontage.  We also worry about the health hazards of big power lines. It would destroy our investment.

Please do not ruin this beautiful little area with an ugly big power line.   

I am Susan Torgesen Smith of Tucker Torgesen Farms in Caribou County, Idaho.  This is a small family farm operated by my husband, sons and myself.  Sometime ago, my husband and I met with Mike Richardson to express our dismay at a possible power line through our barley acreage.  The poles are an extreme danger to our family as many of them are novice equipment operators.

This past week, I have been contacted by surveyors and appraisers who are requesting access to our land.  We will grant no access.

It is our opinion that Idaho has acres of state and government property through which this line could pass.  Also, Commissioner Somsen and Jim Smith from Monsanto have alternative options.  It is our hope that a route can be agreed upon which will not impact private property owners, decreasing property values and threatening the safety of farm families.

My name is Julianna and I am writing in concern of the prospective power line along Highway 34. I understand the line is a necessity and the benefits of it, but what I do not understand is the route in which it's being placed. According to Soda Springs mayor, Jim Smith, Monsanto is willing to work with you in running the power line along the Monsanto haul road. A more than viable solution.

I have family and friends who own land along Highway 34 & have spent much of my childhood in that particular area. My family and I continue to spend a lot of time near the Chine Hat and often take Sunday drives along Highway 34 simply because we love scenery and the drive. We do not want to clutter up Highway 34's beauty with the "industrial look," which is what your power line project would do.

Further more, I think it would be beneficial to Bonneville Power and yourself to have a good working relationship with the community, land owners, and Monsanto.

Again, I encourage you and the BPA team to collaborate with Monsanto in the routing of the power line and preserve the beauty along Hwy. 34. It would be much appreciated by our community, distant, and future generations.