Friday is the final day Idaho residents can comment on initial recommendations made by the governor’s Leadership In Nuclear Energy Commission.
Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter convened the group to study the future of nuclear energy in the state. The commission released more than 60 recommendations a month ago.
Liz Woodruff directs the Snake River Alliance, an anti-nuclear organization in Idaho. She's been critical of the transparency of the LINE commission throughout its meetings. She takes issue with the month long comment period that fell over the holidays. She also doesn’t like that the comments being made aren’t available to the public.
“I’d like to give the commission the benefit of the doubt and hope that they take really seriously the public concerns about the directions they’re heading,” Woodruff says. “But the fact that process has been less than as transparent as it should be, makes me concerned about what that outcome will look like.”
The Department of Commerce is overseeing the LINE commission’s work. A spokesperson initially said the comments wouldn't be made public because the commission didn't have the resources to make that happen. Now, the agency says it will release all public comments as part of its final report.
The comment period ends this afternoon. Those who want to make last-minute comments can do so at the commission's website. The commission is scheduled to make its final recommendations to the governor by the end of the month.