Jerome County | minutes | meeting 2026-10-13 | Commissioners Meeting source: https://www.jeromecountyid.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10132026-1717 Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 1 of 12 JEROME COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Tuesday, October 13, 2026 PRESENT: Ben Crouch, Chairman Charles Howell, Vice Chairman Art Watkins, Commissioner Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk Meeting convened at 9:05 am. Weekly Airport Update Staff present: Marty Luhr and Brandon Buckway The Board wanted to meet with Marty and Brandon to be able to go over the things that need to be completed at the airport. Marty stated that they are working on cleaning out the shop. He has started to work on getting the water shut off for the sprinklers. Another task is to make sure that the tractors are put away for winter and to winterize them. There needs to be several different machines that need to be moved inside. He also discussed having the caterpillar picked up, serviced, and to use it to fill in any holes at the airport with the help of the caterpillar. Commissioner Reports Commissioner Watkins – Commissioner Watkins reported that he attended the Snake River Canyon Parks board meeting. Then he went to the Idaho Transportation Department meeting. There was a discussion regarding some projects on local highways. Commissioner Howell – Commissioner Howell reported that he attended the University of Idaho field day. There was a presentation regarding cover crop studies and how the crops can affect the farmers in the area. He stated that the event was well attended. Then he received a call from Cevin Jones who wanted to discuss a change to the ordinances to allow for more cows in a smaller space. He also toured South Central Community Action Partnership with the recent expansion that was done. Later he toured the Boys and Girls Club in Twin Falls. During the tour there was a presentation on the funding of the club. Commissioner Crouch – Commissioner Crouch reported that he attended the airport board meeting. Maintenance Monthly Report/Renovation of Old Public Defenders Office Staff present: Brent Culbertson The Board wanted to discuss with Brent about the renovations that would need to be done in the old public defenders office. The main renovations that would need to be done are regarding the restrooms to have one in compliance with ADA and to add another bathroom to the building. Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 2 of 12 Commissioner Howell moved to go into executive session per Idaho Code 74- 206(1)(b) for personnel. Seconded by Commissioner Crouch. The motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote. Executive session started at 10:23 am and ended at 10:36 am. Bureau of Land Management Co-Operating Agency Representative Discussion Public present: Bill Bridges and Connie Kincheloe Commissioner Howell stated that this has been something that was discussed previously by the Board. He was contacted by Lisa Cresswell from BLM regarding the project of the Snake River Energy and Rhea Data Center. There have been other boards that Commissioner Howell and Commissioner Crouch have sat on with similar projects. Before going forward with this the Board wanted to discuss whether or not to have someone attend the meetings and sit on the board that will be created. There was also mention that instead of just having one person attend that there can be a way to have all three Commissioners attend by taking turns. Commissioner Howell moved to participate as a co-operating agency for the department of the interior and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) board as part of the Snake River Energy and Rhea Data Center projects, with Commissioner Watkins being the appointed member to the board while having attendance alternate between the Commissioners for each meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Crouch. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Discussion: The appointment as a co-operating agency for attending the board meetings does not mean that the Commissioners support or approve the project in any way, but that it is a way for the Board to be able to obtain information regarding the project itself. To see an image of the report please see pages 6-11 of the minutes. Planning and Zoning Monthly Report Staff present: Kacie Buhler Kacie provided a report on the planning and zoning department. She stated that the special meeting that is being held for the planning and zoning commission is regarding the issue of only meeting once a month. There are some delays that can come to applicants during this process. With this special meeting there can be a chance to be able to help with delays and to try and expedite some of the applications that have been received. She stated that the department received a total of $25,299.59 in the last month. There were a total of 75 inspections completed. A total of 23 permits that were received last month. Her department received a total of 33 records requests and a total of 29 hours was taken to complete those requests. She then discussed that there was an appeal received and she wanted to know what dates could work for the appeal hearing to be held. The Board discussed holding the appeal on November 9th at 6 pm. Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 3 of 12 Meeting recessed at 11:47 am. Department Head Luncheon Staff present: Matthew McGregor, Dan Chatterton, Gary Taylor, Andrea Gonzalez, Mario Umana, Brent Culbertson, Kirsten Hartley, Mark Swenson, Amanda Worthington, Mark Reyes, Tevian Kober, Jesse Vallez, Carli Petruzzelli, Kacie Buhler, Sam Beus, and Tanzy McCool The Board welcomed everyone to the luncheon. They stated that Sam Beus had prepared some items to present on. Sam stated that he wanted to go over some of the laws regarding discrimination when hiring individuals. Each office needs to follow these rules to help keep in compliance with HR rules as well as the laws. He also stated that the rules do not just apply to when someone is being hired but during the entire employment process including termination. Then he discussed legal ramifications of these laws if they are broken during any time in the employment process. He also discussed good practices to follow for each of the department heads. There was a question that was brought up regarding the office hours on days before or after major holidays. The days in questions are days such as black Friday and Christmas Eve. The Board discussed what has been done previously regarding these days. Another question was brought forward regarding the department head being able to decide to close early on these days and whether that would be allowed. The Board decided that this would be placed on a future agenda to discuss the item more fully. Meeting reconvened at 1:30 pm. Fair Food Booths Insurance Discussion Staff present: Amanda Worthington Public present: Bryan Craig and Sam Hoskovec Bryan stated that there was a question regarding the food booths at the fairgrounds. There was a question brought up regarding the insurance for those buildings and who would be liable in case of a disaster. He stated that this would be something that would be up to the individual owners of the buildings instead of the county or the fairgrounds. The Board asked if there should be a letter sent out to each of the buildings. Bryan stated that it would be good to send out a letter with a request to prove insurance before the next fairgrounds. Airport Hangar Lease Contract Commissioner Crouch moved to sign the airport lease with Hammond Helicopter LLC. Seconded by Commissioner Watkins. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Executive Session Per Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b) for Personnel Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 4 of 12 Staff present: Sam Beus Commissioner Crouch moved to go into executive session per Idaho Code 74- 206(1)(b) for personnel. Seconded by Commissioner Howell. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Executive session started at 2:04 pm and ended at 2:17 pm. Commissioner Howell moved to move forward with the decision as discussed with legal counsel in executive session. Seconded by Commissioner Watkins. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Snake River Canyon Parks Update Bill stated that Roger Morely had showed up to the previous meeting and expressed interest in being a part of the board. He also had another individual who had expressed interest in being a part of the parks board. Then he discussed the idea of creating a trail from the overlook to the bridge. During the previous meeting there was a discussion regarding the timeline that this could follow if approved. The timeline that was given was that it could take up to two years before the path is fully created. He stated that the signs for the overlook were placed on the highway. He discussed working with the group Premier Security on the overlook and the RV park. He has really appreciated the head of that group who has helped him to create ways to track income for both locations. Then he stated that the Snake River Canyon Parks budget for the previous fiscal year had run over from what the auditor/recorder office told him. He did not have the budget running over in his own projections, but he is trying to figure out what the best way to fix this is. The Board stated that he should reach out to Tracee McKim and work with her on how this can be resolved with other sections under the parks budget. Sign and Approve Claims Commissioner Crouch moved to approve the claims as presented by staff. Seconded by Commissioner Watkins. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. To see an image of the report please see page 12 of the minutes. Read and Approve Minutes Commissioner Watkins moved to approve the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Crouch. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Airport Hangar Lease Contract Discussion Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 5 of 12 Public present: Jake Gasaway Jake stated that he has come regarding the hangar lease contract that he is looking to sign for a new hangar. He has been looking to build a new hangar at the airport for his company. He has a few questions regarding the lease and the turn around time for building the hangar. The Board stated that the only thing that should need to be done after the lease is signed would be to get a building permit from the planning and zoning department. Commissioner Crouch moved to sign the airport hangar lease with Feenstra Construction. Seconded by Commissioner Watkins. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Meeting adjourned at 3:08 pm. ________________________ ______________________________ Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk A. Ben Crouch, Chairman ______________________________ Charles M. Howell, Commissioner ______________________________ Art Watkins, Commissioner United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Shoshone Field Office 400 West F Street Shoshone, Idaho 83352-5284 (208) 732-7200 September 11, 2026 In Reply Refer To: 2800/1DID 106347972 (T030) (P) IDID106743948 (BO10) Kacie Buhler Administrator Jerome County 300 North Lincoln Jerome, 1D 83338 Subject: Invitation to Participate as a Cooperating Agency for the Snake River Energy and Rhea Data Center Projects NEPA Analysis Dear Kacie Buhler, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Shoshone Field Office is initiating environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Snake River Energy and Rhea Data Center Projects. Because your agency possesses jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise, we invite Jerome County to participate as a Cooperating Agency in the preparation of this analysis. Additional information about the projects and the NEPA analysis process 1s provided in the attached Project Overview and maps. Cooperating Agency status provides an opportunity for government partners to engage early and substantively in the NEPA process. The BLM will serve as the lead federal agency, consistent with NEPA, the Department of the Interior regulations (43 CFR Part 46), and associated policies. The BLM is also the lead federal agency for the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act and the Section 7 process under the Endangered Species Act. The BLM’s Shoshone Field Office is the delegated authority responsible for initiating the analysis for both projects under NEPA. This invitation reflects our recognition of the value your agency would bring to the projects through your expertise, authorities, and relationship to resources potentially affected by these actions. If your agency elects to participate as a Cooperating Agency, the following outlines the anticipated roles of each party based on BLM NEPA guidance and our standard Cooperating Agency framework. ho BLM Commitments as Lead Agency x = The BLM will lead development, content, and quality control of NEPA documents. x The BLM may involve your agency during alternatives development, effects analysis, and review of working drafts. Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 6 of 12 x The BLM will establish project schedules and communicate review expectations. x The BLM will consider your agency's comments and data to the fullest extent possible. Cooperating Agency Responsibilities x = Provide technical expertise, data, and analysis within your jurisdiction or special expertise. x Follow project schedules and communicate early if delays arise. x Notify the BLM promptly of any issues or disagreements. x Maintain confidentiality of pre-decisional information to the extent allowed by law. Next Steps If your agency is interested in accepting this invitation, please respond by September 25, 2027, to the following contact: Tifany Rubaleaba, Project Manager Phone: 208-736-2386 Email: trubaleaba@blm.gov If your agency is interested in pursuing a more in-depth agreement outlining further commitments and responsibilities, we will provide a Cooperating Agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing roles, schedules, and communication procedures. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Digitally signed by LISA LISA CRESSWELL Date; 2026.09.11 CRESSWELL is05:22 000 Lisa Cresswell Field Manager Shoshone Field Office Enclosure: 1. Project Overview artment of the Interior Land Manag Overview of Proposed Projects Snake River Energy, LLC, a subsidiary of Arevia Power, LLC (Arevia, Applicant), proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a utility-scale, solar photovoltaic energy generating facility known as the Snake River Energy Center (SRE). The proposed SRE Project includes solar photovoltaic panels, new and improved existing access roads, electrical collector and transmission lines, an onsite collector substation with associated components, fiber optic communications equipment, a battery energy storage system, operations and maintenance facilities, temporary construction staging areas, and other ancillary facilities. The SRE Project would produce up to 1,000 megawatts (MW) of solar energy and up to 1,000 MW of battery energy storage. The proposed project would be located on approximately 6,151 acres of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District and Shoshone Field Office. The proposed project is located within Jerome, Lincoln, and Gooding Counties, Idaho, approximately 20 miles north of Twin Falls. The application area includes 14,022 acres, of which, 13,822 acres are for the solar facility, and 200 acres outside of the solar facility are for the 8.6-mile-long generation tie line. The large application area would allow for facility siting if onthe-ground conditions do not allow for construction as planned. Rhea Data, LLC, a subsidiary of Arevia, proposes to construct, operate, and decommission an approximately 4,000,000-square-foot multi-unit data center known as the Rhea Data Center (RDC). The proposed RDC Project includes data center buildings (600 MW in total), a substation, stepdown electrical yards, a water connection, an on-site natural gas-fired generation facility with a capacity of up to 450 MW, and surface parking on a 3,226-acre parcel of federally managed land and an additional 514 acres for the 10.6-mile-long electrical load line cormidor. The site is located 2.2 miles west of Interstate 84 near the Blacks Creek Exit in Ada County, Idaho, approximately 4.5 miles south of Boise. The electrical load line corridor may extend into Elmore County, Idaho. Power for the proposed project would be supplied via two new, dual-circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) load lines and a switching station, which would interconnect to the Idaho Power Company system through one of three existing 230kV transmission lines, located east of the project site. The RDC Project includes construction of a high-reliability substation configuration to facilitate interconnection with the 230 kV system. The application areas are shown in the enclosed maps. Status of Analysis The BLM is the lead agency for review of the proposed projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The projects were proposed and advanced jointly to the U.S, Department of the Interior as an integrated development concept. Transmission, substation, and right-of-way decisions are interdependent. Therefore, the proposed projects will be reviewed in a unified environmental impact statement (EIS) to ensure consistency, transparency, and efficient public engagement. Noting the proposed projects are at different stages of design completion, the Page / EIS will be developed acknowledging anticipated data gaps for the RDC Project and applying assumed presence and conservative impact bounding. Once project design for the RDC Project has advanced sufficiently, the BLM and Applicant will prepare a streamlined NEPA document for the RDC Project, informed by project-level surveys. Project Participants The BLM Shoshone Field Office is the agency responsible for preparing the analysis for both projects under NEPA and processing the right-of-way (ROW) application for the SRE Project. The BLM Four Rivers Field Office is responsible for processing the ROW application for the RDC Project. The U.S. Department of the Interior has determined that it is appropriate to allow the Applicant to prepare the environmental analysis under NEPA, as amended, under BLM supervision, consistent with 43 CFR § 46.107. The Applicant's NEPA contracting team includes WSP, WEST, and WestLand. Per regulations, cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise to offer in the analysis process, The BLM will invite federal, state, and local agencies and Tribes to participate as cooperating agencies. The BLM will initiate government-to-government consultation with Native American Tribes pursuant to Executive Order 13175 and other policies. The BLM will consult with appropriate agencies as required by Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and other entities as required by law and regulation. For More Information Tifany Rubalcaba, EIS Project Manager, BLM Twin Falls District Office, 208-736-2386 or trubalcaba(@blm.gov. Lisa Cresswell, Field Manager, BLM Shoshone Field Office, 208-732-7227 or leresswell(@blm.gov. Page 2 Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Page 9 of 12 “se Snake River Energy Project Se Tunupe 36 1 32 33 4 i Gooding nA | 6 e 5 4 3 8 9 10 1 16 f 15 16S * +480. 4 oe 2 CO CIO R15E osestatstatstatstotatecats anetonacs ate ateees OED iat 0c 6.at ta cet atgna hg! tate ae: potetet tT Sara: Seen 203s eerecheectce. oeheceeed. Sete 4 eee. eechchatctrtet 25 30 i + 36 3 4 5 if 8 5 7S — 17S a RISE te. ieee “4 Ri6E 20 ra 22 Foe 2 3 ta 24 19 20 2 1 22 23 24 , he r Were \ J B) i a \ | CSCS Es, = CC ed 4 anc Kl cis > recenecene,oaesocee Sy, HOS gLAC’s CREEK