By Aaron Kunz

Last night we told you about the Gateway West Project, a joint venture between Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power to string 1150 miles of power line from Wyoming to Idaho.

Idaho Power says the line is necessary to reduce the load on existing lines, but much of that power will likely be sold to other states.

In the middle: Idaho farmers who say the line would negatively impact their farms.

State law dictates that the counties have the right to establish corridors through their backyards for infrastructure growth. Over the past month they have been meeting to discuss an alternative route to the one proposed by Idaho Power, including a meeting Tuesday night in American Falls.

The transmission line is already a visible part of eastern Idaho.  The massive power lines are being built just south of the Malad pass. The route, an almost straight line from Bannock County to Melba, Idaho are approximately 300 miles away.

Doug Balfour, Power County Attorney: "Idaho Power's proposed route mostly crosses privately owned, irrigated farmland."

Doug Balfour is the attorney representing Power County.  His clients say the projected path shown in red would have a negative impact on miles of privately owned farm land.

Doug Balfour: "It could have a very detrimental impact on those farmers who are near or whose land is crossed by this utility transmission structure."

In Idaho, state law gives the individual counties authority to decide where any utility transmission corridor can be built.

Doug Balfour: "This is unique as far as I can tell in western law that the county is given the deciding authority for utility transmission structures in the county."

But a secondary state law also gives Idaho Power the ability to take private land away from its owner if it is necessary to build infrastructure.

Doug Balfour: "If they can prove the need for that property, for instance to put a power pole."

In this case, the Idaho counties along the proposed transmission line plus Box Elder County in Utah have all agreed to an alternative route. The route indicated in blue adds about forty miles of line, which could cost Idaho Power two million dollars a mile. But it protects the sanctity of most private farm land.

Doug Balfour: "Their goal is to provide Idaho Power Company with a good, reasonable alternative that does not ruin the economy of Power and Cassia county."

Also interesting is all the counties have agreed on this new route, including the one county in Utah. Something they haven't been able to do before now.