The claim of powering the airport and sewer plant with solar is like saying the water we get from the Boise River is “spring water.” Sure, there are springs that contribute to the river flow, but the water is mostly snow melt runoff, and from whatever sources drain into the river.

The truth of the matter is McLean is claiming “credit” for an amount of solar power consumed, but that amount was mixed in with electricity generated by numerous sources including that generated from coal, gas, hydro, solar and wind.

THERE IS NO WAY TO FILTER POWER SOURCES OR THEIR ULTIMATE USER. THERE IS NO CABLE FROM THE SOLAR FARM TO THE AIRPORT.

Here is the mayor’s claim sent out from her public office Thursday–just three weeks prior to the election.

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
“This week, our City Council approved the City of Boise’s participation in Idaho Power’s ‘Clean Energy Your Way’ program. This allows us to fully transition both the Boise Airport and the Lander Street Water Renewal Facility to clean electricity – a giant leap toward our goal of achieving 100% clean electricity across city government operations by 2030.

I appreciate our partnership with Idaho Power in getting us so much closer to our clean energy goals through the purchase of power from a new solar facility. The Clean Energy Your Way program may also allow other Idaho Power customers to purchase clean electricity, helping residents and business reach their climate goals as well.

Together we are leading the way to a cleaner, healthier future for our children.”

BOISEDEV reporter Margaret offers more details of the financial deal which is a long term agreement with Idaho Power.

RESPECT THE CULTURE was actually emblazoned on the tailgate of a small truck. It got us to thinking.

How many of the thousands of newcomers to Boise and Idaho in general come here to join in the lifestyle, rather than change it? Do folks come here to take advantage of cheap labor, cheap electricity, business “incentives,” or do they want to become Idahoans?

We would welcome your thoughts. When farms start growing houses, schools are overstuffed, the roads are insufficient for the traffic volume, and there aren’t enough jail cells, the culture changes.

What a waste of effort and tax money to keep doing surveys, hoping the facts will change. Nearly 12 years ago Crapo pushed for a “survey” about the cost of bringing Amtrak to Boise. We doubt it got any cheaper over the years. Some of the players have changed, but the idea is still not in the best interest of taxpayers.

Here is what happened in 2009 after Crapo dropped a ton of citizen cash on the survey.

Study Shows Boise Amtrak Not In Financial Best Interest Of USA
After spending at least $374,000,000 to get the tracks and people up to speed, Amtrak would have to charge passengers an average of $353 for each ticket–IF they could get 102,000 riders–just to break even on the cheapest option for rail service to Boise, according to figures released in an Amtrak report.

Politicos with overly optimistic plans were surprised at the projected costs, but not deterred. U.S. Senator Mike Crapo has urged folks to comment at HIS WEBSITE. He wants the train, but the GUARDIAN urges him to do the responsible thing and declare: “the report has clearly shown that AMTRAK service to Boise would not be in the best financial interests of that nation at this time.”

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has taken to “government by resolution” and convinced the city council ro approve a resolution supporting Amtrak’s return to Idaho. These resolutions have no legal standing, but they create the illusion of a broad support for Amtrak and foolishly spending tax money to support a political goal.

GUEST OPINION
By Lawrence Wasden

I’m writing to make you aware of a piece of legislation currently working its way through the state Legislature. The bill is being pushed by Idaho’s gas retailers and, if approved, would make it easier for these businesses to price gouge during declared emergencies.

As you are likely aware, Idaho suffers from some of the highest gas prices in the nation. And by law, I have only two tools to fight unreasonably high gas prices. One prohibits businesses from colluding to set prices. The other prohibits sellers of fuel, food, water and medicine from charging “excessive or exorbitant” prices during an emergency. Senate Bill 1041 was proposed by the Idaho Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association to undercut my ability to protect you from price gouging during an emergency.

So why have Idaho’s gas retailers made this a priority now? Well, there’s a backstory here. Last March, COVID-19 prompted an emergency declaration that triggered the state’s price gouging law. In the weeks that followed, oil prices fell dramatically. Gas prices at the pump, though, did not drop as quickly.

I wanted to know why. So I contacted Idaho’s three largest gas retailers – Maverik, Jacksons and Stinker Stores – and asked them to explain their pricing and remind them that Idaho’s price gouging law was in effect. They rejected my concerns and did not satisfactorily explain the pricing we were observing. My office soon initiated a formal investigation that focused on the retailers’ margins. I did so because Idaho’s current price gouging law directs that examination as a way to determine whether prices are excessive or exorbitant.

We found that during the first few weeks of the pandemic, these retailers’ margins increased dramatically. Our independently-sourced data from the last 14 years showed Idaho retailers usually make about $.10 per gallon of gas. (The gas companies contend their historical margins are closer to $.20 per gallon.) Three weeks into the pandemic, Idaho gas retailers – including the three my office investigated – were making a record margin of $.63 per gallon. This was well above the previous high of $.42 per gallon set in 2008.

While retailers could buy their gas at a steep discount, those savings, by and large, weren’t passed on to you. In fact, despite some increased costs connected to the pandemic and a reduction in their sales volumes, these inflated margins allowed the retailers’ gas profits to swell.

After presenting our findings to the retailers, my office negotiated a settlement that includes $1.5 million in credits that will go back to Idaho consumers this year. That settlement was announced on November 30. Less than two months later, the gas retailers were in front of the Idaho Legislature urging major changes to the very law that allowed my office to investigate them in the first place.

If the gas companies’ proposed changes become law, a future investigation and settlement similar to the one initiated by my office last year would no longer be possible. So far, the gas retailers’ bill has been welcomed by lawmakers. It passed unanimously in the Senate and is now headed to the House. If successful there, it could be signed into law by the governor.

It’s extremely rare that I speak publicly on the merits of a particular piece of legislation. But you deserve to know about this bill. If you believe that gas prices shouldn’t be excessive or exorbitant during an emergency, you need to contact your legislators now and let them know.

The proposed project included “60 condos and 20 AFFORDABLE HOUSING units!” That prompted us to ponder just exactly what constituted “affordable” on the trendy real estate? Then, we realized the local lingo seems to be the same throughout the USA.

With that in mind the GUARDIAN has compiled a list of terms which can mean whatever the politicos want them to mean.

TERMS WORTHY OF LIMITS

REVENUE, CLAWBACK, TRANSPARENCY, SHARROW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESS, INCENTIVES, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, CONNECTIVITY, URBAN RENEWAL, TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, SUSTAINABILITY, GREEN CERTIFIED, ROUNDABOUT, COMMUNITY POLICING, OUTREACH, LISTENING, FIRST RESPONDER, CLIENT, CONSULTANT, DEVELOPER, SURVEY, POLL, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, SUSTAINABILITY, LOCAL OPTION TAX, TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR, INCREASED DENSITY, MASS TRANSIT, BICYCLE FRIENDLY, URBAN RENEWAL, INFILL, INCREASED DENSITY, SMART GROWTH

SELECTED DEFINITIONS

REVENUE–a term used to disguise “tax money taken from the hard earned wages of local citizens, usually against their wishes.

CLAWBACK–A way to grab REVENUE previously not collected.

TRANSPARENCY–A way to hide CLAWBACK of missed REVENUE.

TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR–Formerly called streets, but includes bike lanes, pedestrian routes, street cars, scooters, electric bikes, and some autos.

ROUNDABOUT–A junction of two TRAFFIC CORRIDORS where it is difficult for HOMELESS to solicit because cars don’t stop.

MASS TRANSIT–Church bus for Catholics or use of TRAFFIC CORRIDORS.

INFILL–Result of INCREASED DENSITY and justification for MASS TRANSIT.

BICYCLE FRIENDLY–Motorists who stay out of SHARROW lanes to make a right turn.

SUSTAINABILITY–The ability to keep collecting REVENUES.

GREEN CERTIFICATION–A government declaration of color. Not red, yellow or blue. The certification can lead to SUSTAINABILITY.

INCENTIVES–Payments and tax breaks for DEVELOPERS and businesses seeking to exploit Idahoans. These lead to increased density and the clamor for GREEN CERTIFIED BUILDINGS.

PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP–A scheme for DEVELOPERS to get tax REVENUES and INCENTIVES for free.

SMART GROWTH–A cult following. Those in the cult advocate SUSTAINABILITY, SHARROWS, INFILL, ROUNDABOUTS, MASS TRANSIT, COMMUNITY POLICING, CONNECTIVITY, SURVEYS, CONSULTANTS, CLAWBACKS. A fantasy not rooted in reality.

The $150,000 amount is pretty much an open ended allotment for the city while it pursues its goal of being 100% renewable-energy powered by 2035.

The resolution giving the mayor authority to spend the money includes deals with an ad agency and a public relations firm. Each of the 10 firms approved in the proposal process will work “as needed.” They all filed “qualifications” as part of the bid process.

This is yet another vague item stashed away in the council consent agenda with little or no public discussion, giving spending authority to the mayor. The IDAHO PRESS lists the firms awarded contracts.

NOTE: THE KATIE FITE COMMENT IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.

Great time spent with 14-year-old grandson and a chance to learn the addictive qualities of those “smart” phones. Amazing how fast and readily available information can be obtained. Sad to see how much of the info is dispersed.

Grandson Bryce at Mesa Falls

–When you have lived ONLY in metro Hillsborough County, Florida where the population is the same as the entire state of Idaho it is understandable how awkward it is to pee in the aspen grove along Highway 20.

–The significance of Arco being the first town in the world to have nuclear power is lost after 65 years.

–The gigantic trout at Big Spring near Island Park are gone! Don’t know if the nearby massive construction projects have had any impact, but the world famous fishery has attracted a lot of people and money to Fremont County.

–Yellowstone is overrun with Asian tourists. At one hotel breakfast buffet we observed a shoving match when an Asian guest hijacked an entire tray of scrambled eggs for his table. Those not in tour groups and renting autos were obvious due to their lack of driving skills.

–Questions as simple as, “what do you want to study in school,” were answered after consulting the Smart Phone for salary surveys. (neurologists earn $600,000 a year and electrical engineering profs bring in $90,000).

–Freeway drivers are totally out of control, mean, aggressive, and a danger to everyone. We were just ahead of fatality crashes on both I-15 and I-84. At the time we commented that death was inevitable with such behavior.

–Idaho is still a vast “Gem” with scenic vistas and good people. Upper Mesa Falls on Henrys Fork of the Snake is spectacular, Craters of the Moon is unique, but barren. The Swan Falls Canyon (Birds of Prey) is an under appreciated Ada County natural attraction

Bryce at Golden Spike Monument.

ATK Rockets

The GUARDIAN world Headquarters got a gas bill today as well of $5.67 for not using any gas. We also got a bill insert explaining that Intermountain has filed for rate DECREASE of $3.32 per month for the average residential consumer.

That would appear to show a DECREASE of $2.95. But wait, there’s more! We got a “clarification” from the P.U.C. so GUARDIAN readers and gas company customers would understand.

“So here’s the context that was left out of the Intermountain release:
The company has two other cases pending before the Commission that could impact rates this fall. Intermountain has asked for both proposals to take effect Oct. 1, but that doesn’t seem likely given that today is 9/14.

Case INT-G-17-03 calls for the creation of a billing mechanism that would allow Intermountain to recover from residential customers the costs associated with the Energy Efficiency Rebate Program. The proposal would lead to a 22-cent increase on the average residential customer’s monthly bill.”

Our frequent commenter, EASTERNER, should be able to help out if you don’t get this.

Cerenkov glow is radiation from nuclear reactor fuel rods underwater at INEL.

No doubt the full text of the agreement occupies reams of paperwork (in government fashion), but for most of us common folk, the takeaway was that ALL spent nuclear fuel would be removed from Idaho by 2035 or earlier. And if the DOE failed to meet that deadline, Idaho could levy a fine of $60,000 per day.

At the time, the agreement was hailed by everybody who was concerned about radioactive waste in our back yard. Maybe we couldn’t get rid of it today, or even by next year. But there was a date off in the future (40 years in the future) when we’d be rid of it.

An overview of the 1995 agreement can be seen on the state’s Environmental Quality website.

So – how does the announcement of a new $1.6 billion nuclear waste processing facility mesh with that agreement?

The most informative article about the new facility that I’ve found, is on the Spokane Spokesman-Review website

According to that Keith Ridler article, “the new facility is needed to keep nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines deployed.” So, I guess it’s our patriotic duty to embrace it, huh? (Regardless of the fact that we’re 500 miles away from the nearest ocean.)

Preparation of the facility is slated to begin next year; it is anticipated to start operating in 2024. That’s only 11 years before ALL stored nuclear waste must be removed from the state, according to the earlier 1995 agreement. In addition, the S-R article states, “the nation has no repository for spent nuclear fuel at this time, so where it will go is not clear.”

Idaho State Police officer guards a train carrying nuclear waste before returning it to Colorado.

Maybe our game plan should be to cooperate with the construction of the facility, and collect the $1.6 billion… and then refuse to let any nuclear waste be shipped there. Such a move wouldn’t be unprecedented… Nevada and their influential Senator Harry Reid were happy to build a nuclear waste storage facility at Yucca Mountain (which cost us taxpayers an estimated $8 billion), and not one ounce of waste has been stored there.

Or maybe we should start figuring out how to divvy up that $60K-per-day “fine” from the feds. If my calculator is working, that’s about $22 million per year. 2035 dollars won’t go as far as 1995 dollars, but that’s still a pretty penny! Perhaps we can all enjoy a state tax cut, even if our aquifer has to be eternally monitored for radioactivity, and the horizon glows an eerie green at night.

Ada County Commishes just paid off Fortistar, a methane-recovery-electric generating firm, a cool $2 million for the rights to “excess methane gas,” generated at the landfill.

If Boise residents put their table scraps and other bio solids in green boxes for composting at the city-owned 20 Mile South Farm, affectionately dubbed the “Poop Farm,” that will cut the methane greenhouse gas at the landfill. Sounds good, but how will that impact Ada County and their deal with Fortistar? The rotting garbage is the “fuel” for the methane-powered electricity generator which earns cash for the county. In a nutshell, if a third bin is put curbside, that will mean a 33% increase in garbage trucks and a big jump in staff to sort the “non-compostables” out of the system.

Meanwhile, Boise city fathers and mothers have purchased (or nearly purchased) 120 acres of land –with an assessed value under $70,000– for about $550,000 north of Kuna-Mora Road for a police shooting range. Boise coppers say the location is better than the 4,000 acre Poop Farm because it is about 8 miles closer to town, therefore saving coppers gas to visit the training site. Seems a contradiction to claim to save gas for coppers, but create an exponential increase in trash truck mileage.

We question the wisdom of making hundreds of 40 mile round trips a week with trash trucks to dump garbage for composting, all in the name of cutting pollution. The planners in the city also want to charge us an extra $40 a year for the composting and turn around and provide half the finished product back to us as fertilizer. They claim in a STATESMAN story that some of the compost will be used at the Poop Farm.

What scares the GUARDIAN is the rush to judgement–both on the police shooting range and the composting scheme. Before the council acts this Tuesday, we need some concrete answers to the rotting questions. The big one is: “Will the pollution of natural gas trash trucks traveling an extra 40-80 miles a day be less than the methane generated and recovered at the landfill?”

Many of those answers will have to come from Republic Services, the trash contractor for both the city and the county. To our knowledge there has never been a resolution as to exactly WHO owns the trash. The issue has been raised in the past with regard to recycling commodities such as paper, aluminum, and plastic. At least in the case of Fortistar vs Ada County, it seems some of the stuff belongs to Fortistar.