Ante up, Idaho Power

Idaho Power Company has drawn a lot of lines on maps, but the situation looks to us pretty much as it did a year ago: The Boise company wants to build a major transmission line through Baker County.

We’re not surprised. That was, after all, the company’s initial proposal. 

We’re also not surprised that quite a few Baker County residents aren’t pleased that Idaho Power still seems to prefer a Baker County route, even though the company decided last year to basically start over and consider a variety of other options.

It seems unlikely that county residents will be able to legally thwart Idaho Power.

But we hope the company’s critics, along with county commissioners, will exert political pressure that prompts Idaho Power to both minimize the harmful effects of the transmission line and to fairly compensate affected property owners.

The top priority should be to avoid fouling the views from Baker Valley and the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.

Fred Warner Jr., chairman of the County Board of Commissioners, thinks Idaho Power also should make regular payments to property owners whose land the power line crosses. We agree.

But we suggest one other, rather unorthodox, measure: Idaho Power should allow public access, for hunting and hiking, to the Daly Creek Ranch.

The company bought the 10,000-acre property near Richland in December 2006, but so far has kept it closed.

If we have to look at your towers, Idaho Power, at least let us walk around your property.