20200731Press Release.pdf

ldaho Public Utllltiea Commission Srrit Lita, Goiemot
FO Box 3:t7&. Aot , E 8!l2O.0O7a
Case No. IPC-E-20-25
OrderNo.34721
Contact: Adam Rush
OfEce: [phone]
[e-mail]. gov
Telephonic public hearing will be held Aug. 4 on application to ftansfer land to Owyhee County
BOISE (July 31, 2020) - The Idaho Public Utilities Commission will hold a public telephomc
hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 2:00 p.m. to take comments on an application from ldaho Power
to transfer a 1 .91 -acre parcel of land to Owyhee County.
In 2008, Idaho Power purchased 150 acres ofland near Melba that would later become the site of
the Hemingway Substation in Owyhee County. The company built a new, unpaved access road
on a portion of the 150 acres to provide access from Highway 78 to the substation. Idaho
Power's access road travels parallel to and partly crosses the Wilson Cemetery Road. Since the
access road was built, visitors to the Wilson Cemetery and adjacent property owners have been
using Idaho Power's road rather than the Wilson Cemetery Road. The Wilson Cemetery Road is
now overgrown and impassable.
In July of2019, Owyhee County denied a building perrnit for one resident along the south side of
Wilson Cemetery Road because the resident could not prove public access was available to their
property. Owyhee County would not grant a waiver or variance upon request. To re-establish
legal access for landowners south of Wilson Cemetery Road, Idaho Power executed and recorded
a deed conveying the parcel to Owyhee County subject to an easement reserving access for Idaho
Po*er.
Idaho Power must obtain approval from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission before it sells or
transfers ownership ofany property in Idaho used in the generation, transmission or disffibution
of electricity in Idaho.
Those interested in testifuing during the hearing or listening to it should call 1-800-920-7487,
and enter passcode 667 4832# when prompted. In order to identifu callers and manage the
hearing efficiently, anyone interested in testifuing is encouraged to contact Adam Rush at
[e-mail] or at 1-208-334-0339 and provide their name and the telephone
number they will be calling in on. If those planning to testifo could do this by no later than 1:00
p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, it would be appreciated. Those who plan to listen to the hearing
without testifring do not need to provide their phone number.
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For additional information on the application from Idaho Power to transfer the land, please visit:
https ://puc.idaho. gov/case/Details/65 1 7.