The Elmore County Commissioners approved 26 modifications to the Cat Creek Energy Master Site Plan when they signed the Development Agreement on February 9, 2018. While these modifications were discussed in public meetings, the vast majority of county residents were and still are completely unaware of the changes.
We believe everyone needs to be educated and brought up to speed on those modifications to the planned construction of this large-scale project that could be built on and near Camas Prairie and Little Camas Prairie area of southern Idaho.
If you would like to read the full version of the Cat Creek Energy/Elmore County Development Agreement, you can download the 37 page PDF document by clicking here …
CCE_Development Agreement (9-Feb-2018)-10673026_1.
#1 – #5 Changes the Commissioners Approved in the Feb. 2018 Development Agreement with Cat Creek Energy
1) The Upper Reservoir commonly known as the Cat Creek Reservoir (”CCR”) can be increased to a maximum size of 1,700 surface acres and 100,000 acre-feet volume.
2) CCR can increase its depth up to ninety (90) feet maximum depth. The depth is a combination of excavation and the height of the embankment created.
3) The Pumped Storage Hydro (”PSH”) facility may contain up to six (6) penstocks, each with a maximum diameter of sixteen (16) feet.
4) The PSH facility may have underground tunnels with a maximum of thirty-four (34) feet in diameter on and under the CUP site.
5) The PSH facility may have an underground powerhouse cavern with dimensions of one hundred (100) feet in height, one hundred twenty (”120”) feet in width, and two hundred forty (240) feet in length under the CUP site.
Two Cat Creek Energy meetings on Aug. 24, 2018, at 2 p.m.
On Aug. 24, 2018, starting at 2:30 p.m. the Elmore County Commissioners will hold a two separate public hearings/meetings regarding the very complex Cat Creek Energy project. Both events will take place in the basement of the Elmore County Courthouse building at 150 South 4th East St, Mountain Home, ID 83647.
#1. 2:30 p.m. on Friday, August 24: “The First Amendment Relative to the Cat Creek Energy, LLC Conditional Use Permits” hearing pertains only to the official “Water Diversion and Delivery” issue from the proposed construction of the Cat Creek Reservoir on Little Camas Prairie. Please remember, this proposed reservoir will be interconnected with Anderson Ranch Reservoir and Little Camas Reservoir where toxic blue-green algae bloom health advisories are in effect for that body of water. This is a big deal, as toxic cross-contamination from Little Camas Reservoir to the fishery in Anderson Ranch Reservoir is a possibility.
Public testimony will be accepted during this hearing. If you cannot attend this meeting, you can provide written testimony to the Elmore County Commissioners prior to the public hearing.
#2 Friday, August 24 after 2:30 p.m: Immediately following Hearing #1, the Elmore County Commissioners will hold deliberations regarding the July 26, 2018, Cat Creek Energy rehearing.
Normally, no further public testimony is accepted after a public hearing but there may still be a small window of opportunity to provide feedback to County Commissioner Wes Wootan and County Commissioner Bud Corbus.
As of Aug. 13, 2018, we are working on getting an email address for the commissioners.
Other Contact Info: Elmore County Commissioner ATTN: Commissioner Wootan and Corbus 150 South 4th East Street Mountain Home, ID 83647
A 100,000 acre-foot reservoir that is interconnected with Anderson Ranch Reservoir.
The amendment hearing on August 24, 2018, regarding a Development Agreement between Cat Creek Energy and Elmore County, will strictly deal with the 2.2 Water Storage and Delivery section. Below you will find the current 2.2 agreement section and the proposed amendment to that section.
2.2. Water Storage and Delivery. Given the complexities of water diversion and delivery related to the Project, and in an effort to move the Project forward without further delay, the County and Developer have agreed to defer the negotiation and execution of all Water Diversion and Delivery Agreements to a later date, to be heard after notice and public hearing, but which shall be done prior to December 31, 2018 or the CUP related to water shall lapse.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises, covenants, and provisions set forth herein, the Parties agree as follows:
Proposed 2.2 Amendment
The Parties hereby agree to replace Section 2.2 of the Development Agreement with the following:
2.2 Water Diversion and Delivery.
(a) The Developer shall divert and deliver water at a rate of up to 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) to the County under its water right, in priority, on a continuous flow basis, from the South Fork Boise River to Little Camas Reservoir by use of Developer’s infrastructure, as long as (1) the water can be accepted into Little Camas Reservoir, as determined by the Mountain Home Irrigation District, in its sole discretion; and (2) the water diversion and delivery does not prevent the Developer from performing its ordinary water operations, which term is defined as generating electricity via hydro-power or performing ordinary maintenance of its hydro-power infrastructure and (3) Cat Creek Reservoir stored water is at least 20,000 acre feet. Developer’s duty to divert and deliver water to the County shall be suspended during any emergency conditions that may exist outside of the Developer’s control. The Developer agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts not to schedule maintenance work during the anticipated water diversion and delivery time periods for the County.
(b) For those years when the County elects to take water delivery under Section 2.2 (a) above, charges for water diversion and delivery shall be billed to the County based on the following: (1) the Developer’s actual cost of electricity for pumping the quantity of water diverted and delivered to the County under its water right; plus (2) charges resulting from multiplication of the Developer’s Operation and Maintenance Costs, as hereafter defined, in dollars, times a ratio with the numerator being the actual volume of water diverted and delivered to the County under its water right, and the denominator being the total volume of water pumped from or discharged to Anderson Ranch Reservoir by Developer during the preceding twelve (12) month period ending on the last day in which the County elects to take water delivery. “Operating and Maintenance Costs” shall be the routine and ordinary operating and maintenance costs for maintaining the pumping, diversion and delivery systems for water obtained from Anderson Ranch Reservoir for hydro electrical generating, and pumping, diversion and delivery of water to the County, by the Developer. Operating and Maintenance Costs shall not include: (i) any charges for the actual cost of electricity for water pumping, diversion or delivery; (ii) any cost for the construction of the pumping, diversion or delivery systems for the hydro electrical generating or the pumping, diversion or delivery systems to provide water to the County, or any other costs of construction by Developer or otherwise; and (iii) any cost for the replacement of any portion of said pumping, diversion or delivery systems. Billing invoices from the Developer shall specify the total amount of water pumped, diverted and discharged to the Anderson Ranch Reservoir by the Developer and the total amount of water diverted and delivered into Little Camas Reservoir for the benefit of the County as well as the actual Operating and Maintenance Costs for the twelve (12) month period described above in which the County takes water delivery. The Developer shall invoice the County within ninety (90) days from the end of water delivery to the County for that water delivery period and provide copies of its electricity cost, operation and maintenance costs, and its water diversion records to the County with the annual invoicing. Payment by the County shall be due and payable thirty (30) days after receipt of the annual invoicing.
(c) The Developer consents to use of its diversion point for diversion of water under the County’s water right.
(d) The County will inform the Developer, or its designated agent, no less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to any County request for diversion and delivery of water under its water right. Provided, however, the County shall be under no obligation to request diversion or delivery of any water, or accept any water, and any County request for water diversion or delivery shall be in the County’s sole discretion.
(e) The Developer shall withdraw its pending protest at the Idaho Department of Water Resources against the County’s application for water permit no. 63-34348 within 24 hours of execution of this Amendment. The County agrees that it will not protest Developer’s water right application No. 63-34403 filed with the Idaho Department of Water Resources.
(f) The Developer, the Landowners, the County, and their agents, consultants, and employees shall act in good faith regarding the County and Developer’s pursuit of a water permit and license under their respective applications, pending before the Idaho Department of Water Resources, and shall also act in good faith regarding the County and Developer’s relationship with the Mountain Home Irrigation District.
(g) Notwithstanding anything in the Development Agreement to the contrary, the County’s obligations to pay for electricity for pumping and the County’s share of operating and maintenance expenses under Section 2.2(b) of the Amendment in connection with the diversion and delivery of water by the Developer to the County under Section 2.2(a), shall be subject to and dependent upon the appropriations being made in the fiscal year for the diversion and delivery of water by the Elmore County Board of Commissioners for such purpose.
ALL OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.
With a hearing regarding an amendment to Cat Creek Energy Development Agreement scheduled for August 24 at 2:30 p.m at the Elmore County Courthouse, we thought you might like to know what these types of agreements are all about.
This is what Idaho says about development agreements:
TITLE 67 STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE AFFAIRS CHAPTER 65 LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING
67-6511A. DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS. Each governing board may, by ordinance adopted or amended in accordance with the notice and hearing provisions provided under section 67-6509, Idaho Code, require or permit as a condition of rezoning that an owner or developer make a written commitment concerning the use or development of the subject parcel.
The governing board shall adopt ordinance provisions governing the creation, form, recording, modification, enforcement and termination of conditional commitments.
Such commitments shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder and shall take effect upon the adoption of the amendment to the zoning ordinance.
Unless modified or terminated by the governing board after a public hearing, a commitment is binding on the owner of the parcel, each subsequent owner, and each other person acquiring an interest in the parcel. A commitment is binding on the owner of the parcel even if it is unrecorded; however, an unrecorded commitment is binding on a subsequent owner or other person acquiring an interest in the parcel only if that subsequent owner or other person has actual notice of the commitment.
A commitment may be modified only by the permission of the governing board after complying with the notice and hearing provisions of section 67-6509, Idaho Code.
A commitment may be terminated, and the zoning designation upon which the use is based reversed, upon the failure of the requirements in the commitment after a reasonable time as determined by the governing board or upon the failure of the owner; each subsequent owner or each other person acquiring an interest in the parcel to comply with the conditions in the commitment and after complying with the notice and hearing provisions of section 67-6509, Idaho Code.
By permitting or requiring commitments by ordinance the governing board does not obligate itself to recommend or adopt the proposed zoning ordinance. A written commitment shall be deemed written consent to rezone upon the failure of conditions imposed by the commitment in accordance with the provisions of this section.
