Power line bill loses its bite
Legislation secures green light from lawmakers
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:57 AM PDT
ONTARIO — The so-called “Idaho Power Bill,” which at one point appeared to have little chance of climbing out of a committee at the Oregon Legislature, made it to a floor vote Friday in the House of Representatives and passed unanimously.
The new bill, though, is somewhat different than the original proposal that looked to curtail construction of utility facilities, such as transmission lines, on property zoned exclusive farm use.
The new legislation — which now travels to the Oregon Senate for final approval — will give property owners more of a say if facilities, such as a power line, cross over their land.
As amended, House Bill No. 3153 requires that if a utility has to locate a transmission or distribution line on, or through, exclusive farmland, the utility must consult with the landowner on the location of the line to minimize the impact on farming operations.
As originally introduced, the bill was designed to prohibit the establishment of a utility facility in areas zoned for farm use, forest use or mixed farm and forest use if the majority of service provided by the utility facility would be used within an urban growth boundary.
Rep. Cliff Bentz. R-Ontario noted that several people from Malheur County traveled to Salem to testify in favor of the bill. Bentz had been successful in getting the HB 3153 out of the committee where it was introduced to keep it alive.
“It was passed out of rules (committee),” he said. “It’s a very short bill.”
Most committees are already in the shut-down mode, and Bentz, who sits on four different legislative boards, said he is down to just the revenue committee. He said the Legislature has about one more month to go before adjournment.
Also of local interest is the transportation package House Bill No. 2001, approved by the Senate Friday. The legislation is the state’s biggest boost for transportation infrastructure in its history, but the package relies on a host of new taxes and fees. Included in the package is an allocation of $4.5 million for Northeast Washington Avenue in Ontario, a possible allocation of $5.8 million for Malheur County, $1 million for Nyssa and $1.2 million for Ontario.
Ontario City Manager Henry Lawrence said the state cash would be combined with money, raised through impact fees, being set aside for intersection improvements on East Idaho Avenue and possibly other maintenance projects along that street. Nyssa plans major improvements on Locust Avenue. Another provision of the transportation bill is the Oregon Department of Transportation is authorized to enter an agreement with the Oregon Travel Information Council to manage and maintain roadside rest areas, including the rest area and welcome center near Ontario.
