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Remote participant raises alarms about large solar plan near Wine Cup Ranch; BLM says no land‑swap application pending
Summary
A remote participant identified as Rich described a multistage solar proposal near Wine Cup Ranch and warned it could harm elk, deer and sage‑grouse habitat; the BLM replied there is no land‑swap application and said any exchange would require congressional action under the legislative track.
A remote participant referred to in the transcript as Rich told the commission a solar company has proposed an 11‑phase development that would begin with a 586‑acre first phase roughly 3 miles north of HD Summit and extend across Wine Cup Ranch into southern Idaho.
"It's the same company that came in a couple years ago ... it was 11 phases of solar they want to put all up through the Wine Cup Ranch ... it's knocking at the door, and I don't know what we're gonna do about it but it's going to probably destroy a lot of elk and deer sage Grouse Habitat," Rich said, urging caution.
Brady Eldens of the BLM responded that, to his knowledge, there is no land‑swap application pending with BLM from Wine Cup and that the track being discussed was legislative; he said BLM is constrained from engaging in legislative processes under the Hatch Act and would wait for a congressional mandate or a formal FIPMA exchange application before taking action.
The exchange of views highlighted a difference between private‑land proposals (which Rich said are progressing through county planning) and federal land exchanges that would require a distinct process. Commissioners discussed monitoring planning‑commission filings and awaiting any formal applications that would come before the county and BLM.
