Gateway West - a controversial transmission line project through the Treasure Valley - is moving forward.
It's been nine and a half years in the making, and power company officials are hoping to expand their systems to prepare for more people moving to the area.
Mitch Colburn with Idaho Power says they have been working with several partners on this project and they have been waiting for a federal record of decision in order to move forward. He says reaching this point is a major milestone.
Since 2007 Colburn says transmission stations across southern Idaho and Wyoming have experienced an overload.
"There's congestion there, meaning there's more use than there is transmission capacity," Colburn said.
Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power have been working on a way to alleviate that congestion through the Gateway West project.
"We're looking out in the future and identifying constraints on our system and looking to find ways to keep costs low for our customers," said Colburn.
The project proposes to build and operate around 1,000 miles of new high-voltage lines between the Windstar substation near Glenrock, Wyo., and the Hemingway substation south of Melba.
"There's two lines that we're proposing through the area," Colburn said. "One would parallel an existing line already in place."
The second line, Colburn says, would replace an existing line at its current location.
A hurdle engineers faced with this portion of the project was finding a way to responsibly build on land protected by the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area - or NCA.
"There's no way to avoid impacts," Colburn said. "What we're trying to do is minimize impacts and be good stewards of the environment."
Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador have introduced legislation that would clear the way for the transmission line to be built through the Snake River Birds of Prey NCA.
"What we're trying to do is cite our line where impacts are minimized," Colburn said. "So that's why were proposing to build next to or in place of existing lines."
Under the legislative solution, the NCA status will be removed from the area the power lines will run. In exchange the Snake River Birds of Prey NCA will receive an additional 4,800 acres. Officials say local stakeholders support the line routes.
"They were the routes proposed coming out of the Bureau of Land Management, and the local resource advisory committee," said Colburn.
Congressman Labrador issued a statement regarding the legislation. He says in part, "This bill represents the conclusion of years of hard work by stakeholders. The Gateway West project will have a significant positive impact on Idaho."
Moving forward, Colburn says they will work on permit approvals and setting a date for construction.