Alternate Energy Holdings (fka AEHI)

[Rawnoc]

Nuke Plant Hearing Stalled on Comment Process

Thursday, April 23, 2009 9:58 AM

(Source: The Times-News)By Nate Poppino, The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho

Apr. 23--MOUNTAIN HOME -- Roughly 100 people squeezed into Mountain Home Junior High School Wednesday evening as the Elmore County Commission held a public hearing on a proposal to rezone nearly 1,500 acres of farmland for a nuclear power plant.

Commissioners announ-ced at the start of Wednes-day's meeting they would not make a decision on the rezone that night. No indication of when a decision might be made was given.

The county's planning and zoning commission voted 4-2 in November not to endorse the rezone request from Alternate Energy Holdings Inc.

On Wednesday, the greatest challenge for everyone, including county officials, seemed to be working within the rules set for the hearing.

Commissioners and facilitator Jerry Mason urged people to stick to discussion of zoning and avoid debate on nuclear power. They interrupted a number of times to state people were veering off topic, starting with the applicants themselves.

"The request is about zoning, not a person," Commission Chairman Larry Rose told AEHI presenter Mark Pecchenino as the latter described AEHI CEO Don Gillispie's background.

Gillispie depicted his plant as an economic lifeline to the county and state. Speakers in favor of the rezone, including the two P&Z members who favored it before, applauded the stable employment, tax base and energy they believed the plant would provide.

Opponents questioned the amount of water the plant would use, AEHI's job claims and other issues. The number of people speaking in favor and against the rezone was roughly equal.

For more of this story, read Friday's edition of the Times-News.

Nate Poppino may be reached at [e-mail] or 208-735-3237.

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