At the halfway point between the West Coast energy crisis of 2001 and the next major electricity contract renewal year of 2011, a federal power marketing agency is proposing a policy change that could affect rates in the Pacific Northwest for generations and become a national model for energy development. Northwest hydropower is one of the cheapest energy resources in the nation - about half the current market rate for electricity. The Bonneville Power Administration - which sells power in all of Washington, Oregon and Idaho and parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Montana - announced this summer it wants to change the way it charges utilities for its wholesale power, to keep rates low.

Boise-based Windland, Inc. working in partnership with Shell Wind Energy recently completed a four-year permitting process with the Bureau of Land Management to OK a massive wind turbine power project on BLM land in the Cotterel Mountains near Albion, Idaho. Once completed, the Cotterel Wind Power Project will comprise 98, 300-foot-tall towers equipped with swirling white propellers stretching along 14 miles of ridgeline. Cotterel will provide enough energy to power 50,000 homes, roughly the number of homes in Twin Falls and Jerome and Gooding counties combined. If completed, the project will be the largest wind farm built on federal lands in the last 25 years.

People who live 20 miles outside of Blackfoot might have a new windy neighbor if an application is approved by Planning and Zoning tonight. Lava Beds Wind Farm is waiting on a decision from Bingham County Planning and Zoning to create a wind farm. Their application is for 18 windmills on 2,000 to 3,000 acres. The property is from 500 to 1000 North and 1900 to 2100 West. With the lack of feedback from the community, officials feel the meeting will go smoothly tonight

They've considered more hydroelectric plants, but depending on the water year they can be unreliable. They’ve also thought of wind turbines, but again those are only as reliable as the wind, and according to them nuclear power isn’t an option for at least 20 years.

Kathleen Clarke, Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announced completion of an environmental review of the largest wind energy project on Federal land in the last 25 years. Approval of the Record of Decision (ROD) and right-of-way grant for the Cotterel Wind Power Project on 4,500 acres of BLM-managed public land clears the way for the installation of up to 98 turbines on a ridge in south-central Idaho five miles east of Albion in Cassia County.

The Cotterel wind-energy project in Cassia County is underway, but not with out a fight.

ALBION — Windmills still could whirl and hum on the ridgeline above Albion, but not as soon as a developer had hoped. Any time may be too soon for Albion Valley residents who remain opposed to developing nearly 100 wind turbines on the picturesque Cotterel Mountain. Talk of legal action in an attempt to stop the project has emerged.

Ninety-eight wind energy turbines have just been approved for the top of the Cotterel Mountains. This makes for the largest wind energy project on federal land in the last 25 years. Both the Department of Interior and the Bureau of Land Management announced they approved the plans.

BOISE — State utility regulators denied a local wind developer’s request to amend a sales agreement with Idaho Power Co.

The Cotterel Mountain Ridge is home to wildlife, a place for people to hike and recreate, it provides a scenic view for Albion residents, and soon it could be the next wind farm in Idaho if Boise based Windland Incorporated gets it's way.

That’s good news to people who support renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass -- but all supporters still have to face the state’s decision on the issue before they can get too excited: Results of a state utilities wind integration study are forthcoming.

Exergy already operates one wind farm in the state — Fossil Gulch Wind Farm located at Bell Rapids in the Hagerman area. And the company has 10 more projects on its drawing board. Like many wind power producers, Exergy and Carkulis will be keeping an eye on the upcoming release of a state utilities’ wind integration study to see just how friendly the state is to wind power.

The landscape on the foothills behind Idaho Falls may soon look a little different. There's a proposal to build 50 new wind turbines.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho Blades on two turbines at the Wolverine Creek wind farm have snapped, forcing crews to shut them down for repairs.

Director Bob Boren reported that the Idaho Consumer-owned Utilities Association (ICUA) has passed a resolution to get hydroelectric power reclassified as "green" energy. The resolution next goes on to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association for consideration at the regional and national levels.

Boise State will partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Idaho National Laboratory, the Idaho Department of Water Resources and other agencies on the Wind Energy Research Laboratory.

The Bingham County Idaho County Commissioners approved a wind proposal involving the construction of 81 miles of road and erecting 150 wind turbines across more than 17,600 acres of Wolverine Canyon. The area is locally designated as a Natural Resource/Agriculture district which, by definition, does not permit industrial, energy-producing, structures. The Commissioners ruled that since the wind energy facility was a "wind farm" it was therefore an agricultural use and thus permitted. The residents in the area filed an appeal with the courts. This document is one of several responsive briefs filed by the residents.

This full-page advertisement appeared this week in both the Blackfoot and the Post Register newspapers in Idaho. The ad responds to the recent 4-3 vote by the Bingham County Planning and Zoning Commission to approve a giant wind project in Wolverine Canyon. An appeal of the decision has been lodged with the County Commissioners.

Excerpt of minutes from the Bingham County Planning and Zoning Commission public hearings on the Ridgeline Energy wind facility slated for Wolverine County. This except includes testimony by Idaho Fish and Game staff biologist Jim Mende.