Local officials discuss new dam license

MOYIE SPRINGS — On March 26, a joint meeting between the Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs city councils and the Boundary County Board of Commissioners was held to address matters affecting all three agencies, including the relicensing of the Moyie River Hydroelectric Project and a proposed new courthouse building. 

Moyie Springs to be included in summer inundation study 

The existing 30-year license for the Moyie River Hydroelectric Project, owned by Bonners Ferry, excludes the potential impact of a Moyie River dam flood on Three Mile property owners, Idaho Forest Group, and Moyie Springs' water wells. 

In the early stages of the relicensing process, Bonners Ferry did not revise its application to include these additional stakeholders. 

At the joint meeting, the Moyie Springs City Council stressed the need to include new infrastructure in the upcoming summer inundation study. Since then, Councilman Patrick Stevens has confirmed that the west bank of the Moyie River, where the Moyie Springs wells are located, will be included in the study. 

“We want to work with Bonners Ferry to ensure the dam gets relicensed,” Stevens said. “But being a councilman for Moyie, I got to look out for Moyie. I don’t think we were intentionally left out. I think it’s just a matter of all that paperwork; I can see how some things can get overlooked. It’s best if we sit down with Bonners Ferry and establish a clear line of communication.” 

The current license for the Moyie River Hydroelectric Project, which includes a 92-foot-high concrete gravity dam, is set to expire in May 2029. The dam functions as a run-of-river operation, meaning it does not store water and cannot mitigate flooding, as the outflow always equals the inflow. 

At the meeting, Stevens referred to the Bonners Ferry’s recently drafted relicensing paperwork, which states “there are no political subdivisions in the general area of the project,” despite the document also specifying the project is “near the town of Moyie Springs.” 

The new license will span 40 to 50 years, so the paperwork involved in filing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission application can seem exceedingly complicated. Stevens said the paperwork for the entire application is about five inches thick. 

Bonners Ferry has several options for the licensing process. One of which is the Traditional Licensing Process, which many small hydropower developers prefer because it has fewer defined pre-filing steps and deadlines than other processes. 

“The TLP is the best way to go because it requires less paperwork, but it is no good unless everybody is included, and that means property owners and stakeholders, just like it says in the application,” Stevens said. 

Old Safeway to be repurposed to new courthouse 

Boundary County commissioners plan to open bidding late this summer for the renovation of the old Safeway building in downtown Bonners Ferry into a new courthouse.

The initial design was recently finalized, with most of the space to be used for legal courtrooms. In addition, the building will include a new prosecutor’s office, a court clerk’s office, holding cells and a sally port. 

Commissioners said they hope to have the roof work done before winter 2025 and that they could complete the renovation in stages if any unforeseen funding complications arise. 

Other discussion topics 

The county also updated the cities on the plan for 9B Trails to pave a two-mile walking and biking trail on the North Hill. 

The city of Bonners Ferry updated those gathered on the SPOT bus numbers over the last year and its plan to offer a shuttle service for the Boundary County Fair this summer, running from the Boundary County Middle School and Bonners Ferry High School parking lot to the fairgrounds.