The Courier
NEWS
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
March 29, 2023
Vol 47 Num 13
Two Bonus Saturdays at Soldier Mountain Extended Comment Period For
by Tony Harrison
Soldier Mountain is opening two extra Saturdays this ski season. It will be open April 1 & 8 and operate from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. "Soldier Mountain has more than 70 inches at mid-mountain and more than 80 inches at the top, with 10-15 inches of additional snow in the forecast," general manager Paul Alden said. "South-facing terrain that usually shows dirt by this time of year still has substantial snow depth and is riding quite nicely." Check SoldierMountain.com, its Facebook page at fb.com/SoldierMountain and its Instagram feed at Instagram.com/soldiermountain for updates. Automatically save $15 when you purchase tickets, lessons, and rentals online. Soldier Mountain is not raising prices for season passes next winter and is currently offering a $50 discount through April 1. The deadline for payment plans is also April 1. Buy now and ski/ board the remainder of the 2022-23 season, ride the mountain bike trails summer 2023, ski/board the 2023-24 season, and ride the mountain bike trails summer 2024. As an Indy Pass partner, Soldier Mountain also offers season passholders discounted Indy Passes as an add-on.
Lincoln County to Hold Public Hearing on CAFO Ordinance
On Monday, April 3rd, the Lincoln County Commissioners in their capacity as the P&Z Board will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the county's Land Use Map and C.A.F.O. ordinance - Confined Animal Feeding Operations are facilities with 1000 head or more. These documents are available on the county's website, or by request from the Lincoln County Planning & Zoning office at 111 West B Street in Shoshone. The meeting will held at the Lincoln County Community Center (201 South Beverly Street) starting at 6:00 p.m. Any person may attend the hearing, and written and oral testimony will be taken. Written testimony should be sent to the P&Z office prior to the meeting or sent via email to pz@lincolncountyid.us. There is also a survey regarding the Comprehensive Plan on the main page of the county's website (lincolncountyid.us) along with an informational pamphet on the Lave Ridge Wind Project.
Lava Ridge Wind Project
The Bureau of Land Management Twin Falls District has extended the public comment period for the Lava Ridge Wind Project draft environmental impact statement for an additional 30 days until April 20, 2023. "The depth of the analysis in the impact statement has prompted many to request the public comment period be extended to allow more time for people to study the document," said BLM Twin Falls District Manager Mike Courtney. "We are hopeful this extra time will alleviate concerns about being able to fully digest the document to allow for robust public feedback." In a rare display of bipartisanship, the Idaho House of Representatives voted unanimously to opposes the Lava Ridge Wind Project and sent House Concurrent Resolution 4 to the Idaho Senate which is expected to pass the resolution as well. While Governor Little (along with Congressman Simpson and Senators Crapo and Risch) has already expressed concerns about the Lava Ridge wind farm, HC Resolution 4 is intended to further encourage Attorney General Labrador and Governor Little to review the project and assure the state’s interests. The Lava Ridge Wind Project, which is proposed for public lands South of Dietrich, is almost universally opposed in Jerome, Lincoln, and Minidoka counties. Rep. Jack Nelsen said, "In my life, I’ve never seen my community so plain old grumpy mad.” Beyond the physical impact, the community is concerned about 700 temporary construction jobs coming into the area, but resulting in only about 20 permanent jobs once it is done. According to Rep. Ned Burns, even the Blaine County Commissioners object to this project. The main issue is that the power generated by this project will have little or no benefit to the electrical power needs of Idaho residents. Power generated from the project will likely be sent out-of-state to users who pay higher utility fees. If you wish to comment on this project, send a letter labeled “Lava Ridge Wind Project EIS,” to Kasey Prestwich, Project Manager, BLM Shoshone Field Office, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, ID 83352. You can also send an e-mail to: BLM_ID_LavaRidge@blm.gov