That decision pushed CEO of Alternative Energy Don Gillispie all the way back to the processes beginning that had prompted such controversy statewide from farmers and also antinuclear activists. Gillispie had begun to build a development proposal but retracted it and requested P&Z to move ahead and rezone the area without it.

To move ahead, however, he will now have to design a more comprehensive plan that may require detailed analyses of impacts a nuclear plant may have on schools, landowners, the environment and the county. He will have to move forward with this design without any assurance from the county that it would ultimately grant him permission to proceed.

The company has expectations that it may take as much as $70 million for land rights and water rights and approval of local and NRC to construct it.

At Monday's meeting, Gillispie and Boise attorney (for land-use) JoAnn Butler, an expert on zoning matters, were clearly disappointed regarding questions that commissioners were raising and because no decisions were made. Gillispie related that "It's been years yet they don't know what it's about."

The opposition was also disappointed, they had expectations that commissioners would simply turn down the request. The antinuclear Snake River Alliance's victory was in the decision that future requests include a comprehensive development plan, that way when officials in the local area debate as to whether or not it should be rezoned, it would be done for specific purposes.

Andrea Shipley, the director of SRA, said that it was a success because talks can begin regarding the issue on the table, which is, of course, nuclear power.

Diane Hooley, who is a Hammett Valley landowner, said the area near Snake River where Gillispie wants to build the plant is only about a mile away near her farm and would alter the complexion of the spot forever.

The issue is divisive in the agricultural county, though Gillispie promised many high-paying job opportunities.

Gillispie says there are plans for nuclear plants in other states such as Colorado and other countries. He had previously taken a Owvhee County site under consideration. He isn't ready to quit on Idaho at this point, but stated he will wait and see what will happen next. For now, this will be the decision, he says.