PROVO — The need to keep up with Utah County's rapidly increasing electrical-power demands ultimately outweighed objections of county officials to being kept in the dark by Questar Gas.
Utah County commissioners last week agreed to amend the county's general plan and approve a conditional-use permit for Questar to run a 20-inch natural gas transmission pipeline between Lehi and Vineyard to fuel the future Lake Side power plant.
That approval came with a reprimand for Questar officials, who commissioners said failed to include them in the project's planning stages.
Commissioners said they should have been consulted in the selection of the route for the gas line prior to any environmental studies and tests being conducted — and long before construction deadlines were set.
"Questar has painted us into a box," Commissioner Steve White said.
Construction already is under way on the $300 million Lake Side power plant, which will occupy about 60 acres in a northern corner of the former Geneva Steel property in Vineyard.
Existing natural gas lines are not sufficient to fuel the power plant, which is scheduled to begin serving homes and businesses throughout the county in November 2007.
To meet that deadline, Questar officials said the 7.9 miles of new gas pipeline need to be in place by November of this year, meaning construction must begin no later than July.
"My point to Questar is don't be so derelict next time in your duty to have true public input rather than just saying, 'Well, we have to have this for the power plant, and the gas must go through,' " White said.
The gas pipeline will follow the existing Utah Power electrical line easement from the intersection of 8730 West and 8170 North in Lehi and southeast to the plant.
Questar project manager David Ingleby said Utah Power's 190-foot-wide easement is more than enough for the gas line, which requires a 75-foot-wide construction easement and a permanent easement of 50 feet.
In addition to already being encumbered, the route also avoids environmental impacts to potential wetland areas near Utah Lake, Ingleby said.
"We believe that we have picked the best route for the pipeline," he said.
The three landowners who haven't negotiated right-of-way agreements with Questar disagree.
Agricultural property near the lake has a high water table, and the landowners are worried that installing a gas line will disturb the natural drainage and ultimately damage their crops.
"That's a real concern," said Larry Ellertson, commission chairman.
Questar officials told the commission the project will include extensive mitigation efforts to minimize the negative impact on landowners. Property owners also will be compensated for any future damage resulting from the project, they said.
Those assurances were documented in the general plan amendment and conditional-use permit at the commissioners' request. The commission — minus Jerry Grover, who was sick — voted 2-0 to allow the project to move forward.
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