A rural Idaho county banned renewables. It’s having second thoughts.

In a dramatic turn of events, the small rural county of Bannock in Idaho, which had previously banned utility-scale solar and wind development, is now considering lifting the ban. County commissioner Jeff Hough, who played a key role in initially enacting the ban, has now become a vocal advocate for reversing it. Hough believes that the ban is in violation of American founding principles and that it denies residents the opportunity to exercise their property rights. He is leading a charge to overturn the ordinance, which passed 2-1 in March 2024.

Hough sees the ban as a missed opportunity for economic development. Bannock County, located in northern Idaho, is an ideal location for new power plants due to its proximity to a critical electricity substation and its strong potential for renewable energy production. He believes that allowing renewables would bring much-needed revenue and jobs to the county's rural communities, which have been struggling economically as the rural population has declined and the climate has changed.

However, not everyone shares Hough's optimism. Opponents of the ban, many of whom are residents of south Bannock County, argue that leasing land to energy developers is equivalent to selling out to outside interests. They fear that the county is abandoning its values and selling its land to big corporations. Despite the opposition, Bannock County is set to vote on new legislation in the fall that would allow for the development of solar, wind, and nuclear energy within its borders, marking a potential shift in the county's stance on clean energy development.