39.5

Risk Grade

Good

Very low population and remote location limit commercial interest; no ordinance creates uncertainty; high desert terrain has solar potential but limited demand

Assessment Snapshot

Population

2600

State Rank

Compliance

35%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

General setback requirements for rural structures (25-50 ft from property lines)

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use or variance via Board of County Commissioners; very limited solar permitting experience

Acreage Caps

None established

Density Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

General structure height limits

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral — very small remote community; INL adjacency adds some technical credibility but population too small for advocacy

Basis for Assessment

Extremely sparse population; conservative ranching community; Craters of the Moon area limits large swaths of land; INL federal activity nearby

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Dale Lott (Chair); Rod Furniss; Rene Lott

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Idaho Power Company (IPCO) / WECC-NWPP

Utilities

Idaho Power Company (IPCO), None significant

State Permitting Process

County CUP/variance process; state building code; BLM coordination for adjacent federal lands

State Incentives

Eligible — Idaho Residential Clean Energy Credit; Idaho Power net metering

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

None verified

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

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Butte County, ID — Solar Development Risk Assessment