HB 317: Bankrupting wind projects — 2025
ICL's position: Oppose
Current Bill Status: House Committee
Issue Areas: Clean Energy, Energy, Public Safety, Wildfire
Rep. Jeff Ehlers’ (R-Meridian) proposed House Bill 317 in an apparent attempt to block wind energy projects in Idaho.
The bill would also put any commercial wind project to a county vote, giving an opportunity to voice their approval or disapproval of a project. If the project didn’t receive a majority vote of support, the bill would implement an excise tax of $25,000 per foot on each windmill. That would mean that for an average 393 foot wind turbine, with a 200 foot blade, the excise tax paid to the county would be over $15 million!
Ultimately, this is an effort to undermine the development of cost-effective renewable energy development in Idaho. Currently Idaho doesn’t produce enough electricity to meet our own needs, and we rely on dirty fossil fuel-generated energy to meet this excess need. Idaho can and should step up, to be a leader in clean renewable energy that supports rural communities and our entire state.
Idaho’s electric utilities all recognize that renewable power is the key to Idaho’s energy future. It’s the least risk, lowest cost source of power, and that’s why Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power, and Avista have all committed to be 100% renewably powered in the coming decade.
If Idahoans want to pay more for power, they should support HB 317. If on the other hand, Idahoans want to keep our power rates low and protect our quality of life, they should oppose this bill.