President Donald Trump signed dozens of executive orders shortly after his inauguration, including one that rolled back the recent approval of a controversial wind farm in south-central Idaho.
Trump signed a temporary order that prompted an immediate review of federal wind leasing and permitting regulations, and specifically halted any activity on the Lava Ridge Wind Project north of Twin Falls. The order said the project, which the Bureau of Land Management approved in December after more than three years of discussion and analysis, “is allegedly contrary to the public interest and suffers from legal deficiencies.”
The order directed the new Interior secretary to review the final BLM analysis and conduct any additional review or environmental impact studies as needed. Trump’s pick for that post, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has not yet been confirmed.
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The Lava Ridge project, which proposed building as many as 230 wind turbines up to 660 feet tall to provide clean energy, was proposed by Magic Valley Energy. The company said the project could power half a million homes and create jobs for Idaho residents. Magic Valley Energy has also proposed a wind farm on federal land southwest of Twin Falls. That project, Salmon Falls, is still in early stages.
The Idaho Statesman reached out to Magic Valley Energy for comment on the executive order.
The project was criticized by multiple groups and politicians. Perhaps the most outspoken was the Friends of Minidoka, a nonprofit focused on the preservation of the Minidoka National Historic Site, which was an internment camp for imprisoned Japanese Americans during World War II.
The group said the wind turbines—which would be visible from the historic site northeast of Twin Falls—disturbed the historic view-shed and made it impossible for visitors to understand the true isolation of the camp. In a statement Tuesday, Friends of Minidoka Executive Director Robyn Achilles told the Statesman the group is “pleased” that the project is on hold.
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“The proposed Lava Ridge wind development should be stopped and the area outside of Minidoka should be protected from future energy development that harms the viewshed of the park,” Achilles said.
Lava Ridge also drew criticism from local politicians in Twin Falls and Jerome, as well as ranchers with existing grazing leases on the proposed wind farm site. Idaho’s congressional delegation, all Republicans, were also outspoken critics.
In a statement, Idaho Sen. Jim Risch’s office said the longtime lawmaker co-wrote the executive order with the Trump administration.
“I made a promise to Idahoans that I would not rest until the Lava Ridge Wind Project was terminated. On day one, President Donald Trump took action to keep that promise,” Risch said in a news release.
Sen. Mike Crapo, as well as Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, also applauded the executive order.
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“The Lava Ridge Wind Project is unwelcome and has zero place in our state,” Simpson said in a statement.
Not all Idahoans opposed the project. The Idaho Conservation League, a longtime environmental advocacy group, backed the project last year after the BLM opted for a scaled-down version of the wind farm amid complaints. Adrian Gallo, the group’s climate program manager, said in a report that Lava Ridge “is not perfect, but it is necessary.”
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A controversial Idaho wind farm was OK’d last month: Now it’s on hold (2025, January 22)
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BOISE, Idaho — The death of eight-year-old Mora Gerety earlier this month on Harrison Boulevard has renewed calls for safer streets in Boise’s North End.
Neighbors say the incident highlights long-standing concerns about vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety in the neighborhood.
WATCH | North End Neighbors call for safer streets —
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Boise’s North End pushes for safer streets after death of 8-year-old
“Every time we have a fatality like this where a child is put in danger and killed or seriously injured, it elevates the conversation because people realize how dangerous our streets are for young people to navigate,” said Cynthia Gibson, who chairs the North End Streets Committee.
Gibson, who has lived in the North End for more than 30 years, is among those advocating for lowering local residential speed limits to 20 mph. She also encourages residents to join the North End Neighborhood Association, volunteer with ACHD’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee or participate in state legislative discussions around street safety.
“They need to be slow and cautious and aware of people trying to cross the streets. A lot of our streets have schools on them, kids are trying to get to school,” said Gibson.
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The conversation also echoes a 2023 crash that killed Boise High School student Jadin Zurawski just blocks away on 16th Street. In response, ACHD added raised crosswalks and flashing warning lights at that intersection to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing.
At Harrison Blvd and Ada St, ACHD says crews began assessing safety conditions the morning after the crash and are evaluating possible improvements for pedestrians. The agency extends their condolences to Mora’s family.
— How you can weigh-in on safer streets —
A public meeting will be held Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Rockies, where ACHD staff will solicit input from Ada County residents on street safety.
Neighbors can also share feedback through an online safety survey.
POST FALLS (Idaho Capital Sun) — A major Idaho health insurer this week asked the Idaho Department of Insurance to investigate the billing practices of a new North Idaho hospital.
Blue Cross of Idaho claims that Post Falls ER & Hospital has refused offers to be part of the insurer’s network of in-network providers, and has instead relied heavily on a last-resort financial protection that lets health care providers dispute insurer payments.
Blue Cross of Idaho Chief Strategy Officer Drew Hobby said the insurer wants to protect consumers from rising health care costs.
“We have a responsibility to help Idahoans get access to high quality, affordable care. And we’re very concerned and alarmed with this process, which we would say is driving up unreasonable costs and unreasonable rates to Idahoans,” he told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview.
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The Idaho Department of Insurance is reviewing the issue, agency spokesperson Julie Robinson said in a statement.
The Post Falls ER & Hospital opened in 2024. The facility was Nutex Health Inc.’s first micro-hospital in Idaho.
Post Falls ER & Hospital could not be immediately reached for comment.
Outside of the Post Falls ER & Hospital, 100% of hospitals in Idaho are in Blue Cross’s network, Hobby said. Blue Cross also asked the Department of Insurance to help get the hospital’s owners to meet with Blue Cross.
What is the billing practice Blue Cross wants Idaho to investigate?
In its letter to the Idaho Department of Insurance, Blue Cross asked for a probe into whether the Post Falls ER & Hospital has misused a process called independent dispute resolution.
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The process, created by the federal No Surprises Act, allows health care providers to challenge denials and payments by health insurers for services that are out of network, triggering arbitration to decide the final payment.
Each week in recent months, Blue Cross received an average of 75 dispute requests from the hospital, the insurer said in its letter. That is much more than the insurer says it received from all other health care entities in Idaho. On average each month, Hobby said Blue Cross only received 14 dispute requests from other providers in Idaho.
“Compared to the rest of providers that we work with … the volume is alarming,” Hobby said.
The payments sought in that process are often high, Blue Cross told the Department of Insurance. One example Hobby shared was a claim for nearly $2,900 to treat a runny nose, which was well over the $376 that is the median commercial rate for nasal congestion.
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With more than three decades of public service, Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Chief Deputy Director and Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney has announced he is leaving state service.
McElhinney focused on relationships and working with local leaders and community members to improve safety on Idaho’s transportation system. A significant advocate for stakeholder partnerships, he established the work zone safety task force and strengthened the Construction Partnering program with the Idaho Associated General Contractors.
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“I am so grateful for Dan’s dedication and emphasis on connecting with communities and overseeing the historic investments in construction focused on safety and mobility, which have enhanced quality of life for Idahoans,” said ITD Director Scott Stokes.
ITD Chief Engineer Dave Kuisti has been named acting Chief Operations Officer until permanent leadership position changes are determined.
