Friday, February 3, 2006

Power plant bill moves to state Senate


By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

One of five power-plant-related bills sponsored by a Blaine County legislator has made it past committee and will move to the Senate floor.

A bill labeled S1276, sponsored by Sen. Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, would amend the Local Planning Act to allow testimony by and notification to residents of adjoining counties in which a thermal generation power plant of more than 50 megawatts is proposed.

The bill passed the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee Wednesday, Feb. 1, by a 6-1 vote.

Voting in favor of the bill were Sens. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, Gerry Sweet, R-Meridian, Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, Edgar J. Malepeai, D-Pocatello, and David Langhorst, D-Boise.

Voting against the bill was Sen. J. Stanley Williams, R-Pingree, near Blackfoot.

If made law, the proposal would grant legal status to residents of adjoining counties, allowing them to testify in front of the decision-making bodies of the county in which a power plant is proposed.

According to the bill, such input would aid the county decision-makers in understanding the overall effects of the plants.

It would also allow out-of-county residents to take the county to court if they feel due process was violated.

The bill could move to the Senate floor for debate as early as Monday, Stennett said.

"Unless someone really tries to work it, I expect it will pass," he said Thursday.

If approved by the Senate, the bill will move to the House, where the speaker will assign it to a committee for review.

Stennett plans to withdraw one of his other power-plant-related bills.

S1294 proposes that merchant coal-fired power plants of 250 megawatts or more be assessed by the Idaho Tax Commission.

"The way it was drafted, it doesn't accomplish what I set out to do," he said.

The proposal likely won't appear again this session, he added.

Bill S1293, which would keep mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants at the current cap of zero, could have a hearing with the Senate Heath & Welfare Committee next week, Stennett said.




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