Liberty

Property Rights are one of the fundamental building blocks of our great country.  Without the right to own property there can be no true liberty.  If the City of Idaho Falls and Idaho Falls Power attempt to use eminent domain to strip tax-paying property owners of their land and possessions in order to build an unnecessary and redundant power line, (with other routing options available to them), we can no longer trust that the governed possess true liberty.  I would be forced to conclude that government has taken the right of liberty as its own possession, only to be granted to individuals in the event that it does not impede the selfish desires of government.

The role of government is to secure liberty.  With regards to the North Loop Project the City of Idaho Falls and IFP are threatening to destroy liberty, not secure it.  Before it became “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” John Locke wrote that man has a right to “life, liberty, and property.”  Our constitution twice lists “life, liberty, and property” without making any distinction between the three. 

I understand the importance of eminent domain.  But there is no way the city of Idaho Falls should have any right to the property of another for the sake of the North Loop project.  The electricity needs of Idaho Falls can be met without trampling the liberties of its rural neighbors.

Can I drive across my neighbor’s lawn because it would save me time and money on my way to work?  Then why should the city and IFP, which has no rights but those given to it by the governed, trample and destroy our land in order to save themselves a little bit of time and expense?

  

Post Register Ad - Response to Idaho Falls Power Newsletter

Below is the ad that was placed with the Post Register in response to the 'Current Connections' newsletter that Idaho Falls Power sent out with their bills.  I modified it slightly to fit the format of this website, and also added a few thoughts of my own to the letter.  My additions are written in blue.

Attention Idaho Falls Power Customers

You recently received the “Current Connections” newsletter with your power bill which contained many false statements concerning the North Loop Project.

Please read the true facts below                 

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

Electricity use has increased 400 percent in the past 40 years, pushing IFP’s electrical transmission system throughout the core of the city to the brink of capacity.  This puts customers at risk for extended outages.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

The city claims that there will be extended outages without the North Loop project; however, there have not been any extended outages of your power with the current system.  It would be a redundant line that was deemed necessary by a flawed study done in the early 1970’s that incorrectly predicted the future growth west of town.  Also, there are many ways to increase the electric capacity of the city without building an invasive and expensive loop around the whole city.  No other city in Idaho uses a massive loop to provide electricity to its citizens.  Increasing capacity is necessary, the North Loop is not.

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

Burying the line would cost five to 10 times as much as installing it overhead.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

Burying the line is more expensive, but the entire loop would not need to be buried and the distance of the loop could be dramatically shortened.  If proceeding with this project responsibly means that it would cost 5 to 10 times more than current projections, perhaps IFP should think of more responsible ways to achieve their goals.  They are trying to buy a Mercedes for the price of a Hyundai.

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

The state prohibits utility structures along the interstates unless there is no other alternative.  Additionally, restricted air space around the airport prevents IFP from reaching one of three key destination points.  This route would also require larger structures, driving up the cost.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

The State Highway Department states that power lines are allowed adjacent  to the interstate right-of-way.  The short portion along the north end of the runway could be buried.

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

The project team has worked to limit impact (on agricultural operations) by paralleling existing corridors as opposed to cutting through fields and disturbing pivots. 

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

Spray planes would not be able to operate around the power lines, disrupting farming operations.  IFP is planning on taking possession of a potato cellar along the side of the road to be razed at a later date.  How does this not disrupt a farming operation?

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

No study has ever found that exposure to stray voltage causes health problems in humans.  IFP will follow Idaho Public Utilities Commission rules governing complaint investigation.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

 Dr. Dave Carpenter, NY University Dean states 30% of childhood cancer comes from EMF’s produced by transmission lines.  EPA warns “There is a real concern” and advises prudent avoidance.  emf.mercola.com/sites/emf/emf-dangers.aspx.   IFP is not considered a “Public Utility” and is not bound by PUC regulations.  "No study has ever found that (fill in the blank) causes health problems."  This line has been used too often about things that have later been proven to be very harmful.  This IS cause for concern and our kids deserve better.  

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

Transmission is not jurisdiction specific.  Most of the power for residents of Bonneville County comes from outside the state on transmission lines crossing state and county lines to deliver power. 

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

IFP produces less than 30% of the power they transmit to you.  The balance is purchased from other sources.  The obvious difference is that rural Bonneville County residents are being served by the utility that places poles near our homes.

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

A few trees will likely be removed, but most will only need to be trimmed.  No structures are required to be removed with the current design and alignment.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

IFP will remove dozens and dozens of trees including mature Blue Spruce trees and American Elm trees 65 years old.  One man was told by IFP that he would either need to leave his home or sign a waiver of liability to live there.  One family has farmed the same parcel of land for 100 years and will now have the power pole easement within four feet of their front door!  This statement by IFP is a flat out lie.  "Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either." -Albert Einstein

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

Idaho Falls residents are Bonneville County residents.  IFP’s reliable, low-cost electricity helps fuel the local economy and affects the services that all residents receive from businesses throughout the city.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

The Bonneville County residents who will have their property condemned for the project will not be able to receive power from the line.  All rural Bonneville County residents that live along the proposed loop will experience a significant drop in their property value, which in turn affects the local economy. Also, while IFP helps fuel the economy, it is agriculture that is the engine driving our local economy.  The North Loop project will negatively affect the agricultural lands it intersects.

What Idaho Falls Power told you:                                                                                                      

There will be no rate increase associated with the North Loop; the project will be funded with capital improvement funds the utility has been responsibly setting aside for years.

What the researched truth is concerning the project:

The Idaho Falls rate payers must have been paying too much for years for IFP to have put aside enough money for this project.  Because IFP is not regulated by the PUC, they are able to raise your rates without following PUC regulations such as having public hearings.  Because IFP is a consumer-owned utility, you should have a say on how your money is spent.  IFP recently raised rates.  Perhaps if they had not been setting aside a significant amount of money for an unnecessary project they would not have had to raise rates.

                             

protect.property.rights@gmail.com

IFP Newsletter, Other Thoughts

There were a couple of other statements that came out of the IFP newsletter that I wanted to address.

Idaho Falls Power states:

"IFP is using an acquisition process that invokes fairness to property owners while managing justifiable expenditure of rate payer money."

I find that this statement is an admission by IFP that paying full market value for our property is NOT a justifiable expenditure of rate payer money.  They admit that the offers reflect a balancing of both paying for acquired land and not spending more than their rate payers would want them to spend.  They know that they will eventually be forced by the courts to pay fair market value for our land.  Their hope is that by intimidating and coercing land owners they will get away with paying a fraction of the true cost of the land. 

Idaho Falls Power also states:

"Investigation into route options on the west has not produced a less expensive option (costs range from 120 percent to 350 percent more)."

In other words, "investigation into route options on the west has not produced an option that we can afford, so we are going to trample the rights of county residents (who don't get to vote for city leaders) in order to get what we want."

City Officials know that if they tried to cram this eyesore down the throats of city residents they would all be voted out of office.  IFP knows that if they tried to build transmission lines through the private property of city rate payers they would be met with too much resistance.