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Company withdraws nuclear plant application
The company backing an initiative to build a nuclear power plant in southern Idaho halted its plans to construct a generating facility in Elmore County.
In a letter sent to the county commissioners Tuesday morning, Alternate Energy Holdings Inc. withdrew its application to rezone 1,280 acres of agricultural land near the city of Hammett for use as a heavy industrial zone.
"We continue to believe this project would have been an outstanding economic opportunity for the county and its citizens particularly in light of the recent losses," said company CEO Don Gillispie in his message to the county commissioners. "However, it has become obvious after numerous delays that our time and resources are better directed toward other venues."
The letters comes eight days after the commissioners rejected proposed amendments to the county's comprehensive plan that could've ultimately paved the way for construction of the proposed nuclear facility. The document governs future residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial growth across Elmore County.
In April 2008, AEHI halted its original plan to build a nuclear power plant near Bruneau before seeking approval to build the facility along the Snake River close to Hammett. However, the rezone application remained in limbo as county officials continued to debate on whether the application conflicted with the county's comprehensive plan's goals and objectives.
Last updated in 2004, the document remained a contentious issue over the past year as county officials debated whether to amend the multi-chapter document. While the comprehensive plan remained under debate here, AEHI submitted an application to Payette County officials in October requesting an amendment to its own comprehensive plan.
Over the past several months, Elmore County planning and zoning commissioners continued to discuss the possibility of amending its own comprehensive plan. Dialog focused on one line in the comprehensive plan's land use objectives. It read, "Allow heavy industrial/manufacturing land uses and waste facilities to locate in the Simco Road District only, subject to specific review and Conditional Use Permits."
The word "only" became a sticking point for planning and zoning representatives. As written, it identified the Simco Road area on the county's western border as the county's only place for heavy industrial growth. This became a stumbling block for the proposed nuclear power plant and triggered months of public debate and discussions among members of the county's planning and zoning commission.
In January, the planning and zoning commission approved a motion to amend the multi-chapter document with the initiative passing on a narrow 4-3 vote. Suggested revisions to the comprehensive plan sought to remove language in one chapter that planning and zoning commissioners deemed too restrictive. The edits aimed at encouraging this type of development in the Simco Road area, subject to review and conditional use permits, without making it mandatory.
During a meeting Aug. 2, the county commissioners rejected those proposed revisions.
"We felt it was too wide open," said Commissioner Arlie Shaw. "It was not specific enough. It was too broad."
"The way the proposed amendments came back from planning and zoning, we felt it was not consistent with the goals and objectives of the current comprehensive plan," added Commissioner Larry Rose.
However, the commissioners elected to keep the issue on the table versus sending it back to the county's planning and zoning group, said Buzz Grant, who provides legal guidance for the county commissioners. The commissioners will accept additional testimony on the issue during a public hearing Aug. 30 before they continue their deliberations.