20131118Comments (2 Total).pdf

Jean Jewell
From:[e-mail]
Sent:Monday,November 18,2013 1:57 PM
To:Beverly Barker;Jean Jewell;Gene Fadness
Cc:[e-mail]
Subject:Case Comment Form:Bill Eastlake
Name:Bill Eastlake
Case Number:IPC-E-13-16
Email:beastlayahoo.corn
Telephone:[phone]
Address:333 E.Brookhollow Drive
Boise ID,83706
Name of Utility Company:Idaho Power Company Acknowledge public record:True
Comment:Just a reminder of a bit of history with Idaho Power and coal.
In 1974 I appeared before this Commission among witnesses for a coalition of environmental
groups to testify AGAINST Idaho Power’s proposed Pioneer Plant.The gist of our coalition’s
testimony was that there was not sufficient reason to risk pollution from a coal plant near
Boise when the Company had not even bothered to look at conservation and energy efficiency
and renewable sources of energy.The Company’s answer then was that these alternative energy
sources were merely pie-in-the-sky speculation from the granola crowd.Here we are nearly
forty years later and the Company’s answer is qualitatively the same.
During the ensuing forty years,many things have changed,virtually all of which have helped
move conservation and renewables from the speculative to the real.Technical advances in
wind and geothermal and solar have gradually enabled them to compete favorably with
traditional energy resources.Improvements to light bulbs and furnaces and windows and water
heaters and overall building practices,combined with higher energy prices,have,over these
years,made conservation and energy efficiency a practical resource.
Climate change was nearly unknown as an issue then,but is now an agreed-upon threat that
requires prudent planning for the future.In several earlier iterations of its long range
energy planning exercises,Idaho Power has told us it is prudent to stick with coal “for the
interim”.
The time for watchful waiting is past.It’s time to make the move to the future and get off
coal before we’re actually forced off it.
Unique Identifier:67.60.39.216
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Jean Jewell
From:heartfeltsong ©msn.com
Sent:Monday,November 18,2013 3:00 PM
To:Beverly Barker;Jean Jewell;Gene Fadness
Cc:[e-mail]
Subject:Case Comment Form:Lisa Hecht
Name:Lisa Hecht
Case Number:IPC-E-13-16
Email:heartfeltsonmsn .corn
Telephone:[phone]
Address:4920 E.Sagewood Drive
Boise Idaho,83716
Name of Utility Company:Idaho Power
Acknowledge public record:True
Comment:Dear PUC,
I am writing as both an Idaho Power shareholder of 54 years and as a customer.
I ask you to reject Idaho Power’s application to upgrade the Jim Bridger coal-fired plant and
charge its customers accordingly,as this project is both fiscally and environmentally
irresponsible.
From a financial perspective,Idaho Power plans to charge customers $130 million for the
minimum-required upgrades for compliance with Federal law,and we do not know how much more
will ultimately be required.We will also need to service Idaho Power’s debt,estimated on
the order of $66 million.
Secondly,coal is the worst of all energy sources in its impact to Idaho.It has the largest
carbon footprint of all forms of energy at a time when the IPCC,an international body of
climate scientists,indicate we may already be past the point of no return in our global-
warming gas concentrations!
Idaho Power has recently discontinued conservation programs.Between conservation programs
and Idaho’s abundant wind and solar resources (as well as hydro and geothermal),we can
address a sizeable part of meeting energy demand.Massachusetts recently retired the Brayton
coal-fired plant,in a state with great demand and nothing close to the renewable energy
sources Idaho possesses.
I urge you to deny this application and send Idaho Power back to the drawing board for
cleaner and more financially responsible solutions.
Thank You,
Lisa Hecht
4920 E.Sagewood Drive
Boise,ID.83716
Unique Identifier:97.121.49.36
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