July 14, 2023 |
Photo – High Voltage Power Lines – Bigfoot99 file photo
PacifiCorp has been granted another conditional use permit for the construction of a power line to a wind energy project.
In February of 2021, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners granted Pacificorp a permit to build 20 miles of high-power electrical lines through the county. The permit required the company to begin construction within two years. The allotted time passed without any work being done and the permit expired.
As reported by Bigfoot99, during the April 4th County Commissioners meeting, representatives from Pacificorp requested an extension to their conditional use permit. Since the permit expired at the end of February, the commissioners denied the request. Speaking at the April 4th meeting, Commissioner John Johnson said the board was unable to allow more time after the permit had already lapsed.
The board agreed with Commissioner Johnson and instructed Pacificorp to restart the conditional use permit application process from the beginning.
Four months later at the July 5th County Commissioners meeting, representatives from Pacificorp appeared before the board with the required paperwork. County Planning and Development Director Sarah Brugger said the applicants were once again asking for a conditional use permit to allow them to build two 60-mile long 230 kilovolt power lines between Carbon and Converse Counties.
Brugger said 20 miles of the transmission line would run through Carbon County. The planning director broke down the amount of federal, state, and private land the power lines would cross.
Brugger said Pacificorp is now deep into process and has received permission from nearly every entity required before construction can begin. She said the last approval needed was from the county’s Road and Bridge Department. Brugger said the conditional use permit would require those agreements to be in place before Pacificorp could proceed with the project.
Director for Project Delivery Brandon Smith thanked Brugger and her team for expediting his second conditional use permit application. Smith said his company is ready to go once the commissioners give him the ok.
Smith said the project remains on time despite the delay caused by the permit reapplication process. He said he is continuing to work with the Road and Bridge Department on an agreement to cover any damage done to the county’s roads during construction of the power lines.
Heavy construction equipment has the potential to damage the county’s roads. The road use agreement would stipulate what Pacificorp would be responsible for fixing and how.
The construction of the power lines will require Pacificorp to financially compensate the conservation districts in the area for damage done to the environment.
Commission Chairwoman Sue Jones asked Smith how his company was handling the mitigation efforts. Smith said his company paid the Burau of Land Management nearly $2 million to cover any impact the construction of the transmission lines may have.
Commissioner Johnson asked Smith how close he was to finalizing the road use agreement.. Smith said he assumed the agreement would be similar to one his company already has in place with the county. Commissioner Johnson asked if Smith had communicated this information to Fritz. Smith said he had.
Commissioner John Espy said the road use agreement must be secured before construction occurs. Planning Director Brugger said Pacificorp is required to have all state and federal agreements in place before a building permit is issued. Brugger said she can alter the conditional use permit to require county approval as well.
Road and Bridge Superintendent Fritz said she’ll have County Attorney Ashley Davis review the Pacificorp road use agreement. The board voted to allow the issuance of a conditional use permit for the Gateway West Transmission Line with the stipulation that the road use agreement is received before any construction takes place.
