Comments about ‘State board rules power lines must be built in Tooele’

this decision stinks to high heaven. of course, nothing like big corporate greed in bed with the board now is there? rocky mountain power and the utah facilities board can jump off the nearest cliff.

Just another "for the good of Salt Lake" project rammed down Tooele's throat because we wouldn't want to run those poles through Daybreak?

As I'm reading the decision, I see the loophole that renders RMP the authority in all electrical matters--and we should, as a state, seek to close this. At the top of page 5, finishing Part A of their decision, the board points out that the law states that a utility cannot be denied a permit if it would affect their efficiency (specifically the cost of the project, which would become higher costs for users). Thus, all RMP EVER has to do, when denied a permit, is claim that any alternatives would cost more--since fighting the denial adds cost to the project--and the utilities board is bound by law to overrule local government.

Further, in Part B, the board states that since the county commissioners didn't formally adopt any of several alternative routes proposed, no alternative route was proposed. This flies in the face of common sense, but more importantly shifts the work of proposition from the company (who is incentivized) to the government (who isn't).

I don't blame the board for this decision. Utah law made it a foregone conclusion.


We need to change this law to shift the burden of proposal from

How could the board have ruled any differently. It was their responsibility to ensure that "the project is needed to provide safe, reliable, adequate, and efficient service". In meeting after meeting, I heard RMP state this mantra over and over. I also heard city and county leaders as well as leaders of citizens groups say they were in agreement that the power was needed, the one KEY FACT that was undisputed. The facts of this case indicate that Tooele could have had a different outcome if they had attempted to negotiate with compromise in mind instead of win at all costs. I think the Mayor sealed it with stating they would not permit anything in the city limits and then publicly critizing RMP's behavior (pot and kettle?). For the sake of my family and fellow residents, I hope the county will now be willing to work with RMP to see if any minor adjustments can be made to further lessen the impacts, since they have already made some adjustments, I am hopeful RMP will continue to be open to other adjustments.

This one wasn't a surprise. The towers will look pretty up on the side of the mountain especially when lit be the setting sun. They add so much natural appeal to the landscape. And the experts said the weren't bad for children and small animals, so what are we worried about. After all Tooele is Utah and the Nation's garbage disposal and wouldn't want to be anything else.