Energy policy in Idaho

Fracking in the U.S.
Energy policy in the U.S.
State fracking policy
State energy policy
Glossary of energy terms

Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.

This article outlines state-level oil and gas regulations, renewable energy programs, oil and gas production, energy usage, energy and electricity prices, fuel taxes, and utilities in Idaho.

See the tabs below for further information:

1. Policy: This tab provides information about state regulations on energy production and policies related to oil and gas production, fracking, renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, and net metering.
2. Production: This tab provides information about total energy production by energy source in Idaho.
3. Usage: This tab presents information about electricity consumption by energy source.
4. Prices and taxes: This tab presents information about average energy and electricity prices, per capita spending on energy, and fuel taxes.
5. Utilities: This tab presents information about public and private utilities, electricity markets, the types of utilities in Idaho, and the electric reliability organizations in Idaho.
6. Background: This tab provides information about the types of nonrenewable and renewable energy sources produced and used in the United States, an energy profile of Idaho, a state profile of Idaho from the Almanac of American Politics (2016), and economic indicators in the state, such as median income.

Policy

• State regulations
  • Fracking
• Renewable energy
  • Renewable Portfolio Standard
  • Grant programs
  • Loan programs
• Energy efficiency
• Net metering
• Recent legislation
• Ballot measures

State regulations

The Idaho Department of Lands, which is the administrative body of the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, has regulatory authority over the exploration, drilling, and production of oil and natural gas in the state. The rules and regulations covering oil and gas operations are found in Title 7, Chapter 2 of the Idaho Administrative Code.

Oil and gas operators must receive a permit from the Department of Lands before they can drill, deepen, or plug an oil or gas well. An operator's application for a permit to drill must include all plans for well treatment, the fluids and additives used during production, the anticipated volume and percentage of fluids to be used, information on the method and timeline for the management, storage, and disposal of fluids in a well, identification of all freshwater sources near the well, a plan specifying the measures taken to protect water quality, and other information. In addition, state regulations require casing and cementing at wells to prevent any oil or gas-bearing areas from infiltrating into water resources. Detailed information on all oil and gas rules and regulations in Idaho can be accessed here.

Fracking

See also: Fracking in Idaho

Oil and gas operators must include additional information on an application to drill before they can engage in hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking). Applications must include information on the formation in which fluids will be injected, the chemical additives and proppants used, their concentrations, and the rate at which they will be injected, along with other information. Before a well can be fracked, operators must perform mechanical integrity testing of the casing used to ensure well integrity. In addition, operators must engage in pressure monitoring and record-keeping. More detailed information on Idaho's fracking rules and regulations are found in Section 211 of the Rules Governing Conservation of Oil and Natural Gas in the State of Idaho.

Renewable energy policies

States have implemented funding and financial incentive programs to subsidize or otherwise increase investment in renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. These programs include renewable portfolio standards, grants, rebate programs, tax incentives, loans, performance-based incentives, and more. The aim of the policies generally involves reducing the cost of renewable energy production for consumers, reducing regulatory compliance costs, reducing investment risks involving renewable energy, and/or increasing the adoption of renewable energy sources by individuals and businesses.

Renewable Portfolio Standard

See also: Renewable Portfolio Standard

A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), also known as a renewable electricity standard, is a mandate intended to increase the amount of renewable energy production and use. Under these standards, a utility company can be required by a state to have a certain percentage of its electricity come from certain renewable energy resources. In addition, states may give tax credits to utility companies to fulfill these requirements.

As of February 2017, Idaho was one of 20 states that did not have a Renewable Portfolio Standard or a voluntary renewable energy standard or target.

Grant programs

States, nonprofit organizations, and/or private utilities may operate grant programs for renewable energy. These programs may include state or private funding for energy installation costs, research and development, infrastructure and business development, system testing, and renewable energy feasibility studies (studies that look into the potential for renewable energy use in specific areas). Grants can be provided with or without requiring a recipient to match the grant. Additional incentives, such as lower interest loans, may be included with a grant.

As of March 2015, Idaho was one of nine states with utility-run and/or locally run grant programs for renewable energy. A complete list of state, local, and private incentive, loan, grant, and assistance programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Idaho can be found here.

See the map below for grant programs by state.

States with grant programs for renewable energy as of March 2015 (Source: Environmental Protection Agency)

Loan programs

Loan programs may be used to offer lower interest loans or other financing options to individuals and businesses to reduce the upfront costs of purchasing and installing renewable energy technologies. Loan programs may include programs that use payments from earlier borrowers to provide loans for new borrowers, programs in which building owners reduce their energy consumption to pay their upfront costs for renewable energy technologies, and programs that allow individuals with a higher debt-to-income ratio to purchase homes that use less energy, among others.

As of March 2015, Idaho was one of 24 states with a state-run loan program and locally run, utility-run, and/or privately run loan programs for renewable energy. The Idaho State Energy Loan Program provides loans to homes and businesses in the state. As of February 2017, loans included a 4 percent interest rate over a five-year loan repayment period. Single family housing loans, including renewable energy loans, ranged from $1,000 to $15,000. Loans for commercial buildings, multi-family homes, agricultural facilities, and industrial facilities ranged from $1,000 to $100,000. Applicants must meet minimum credit requirements and secure their loans with real estate. Eligible renewable energy resources included but were not limited to wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, and small hydroelectric power systems.

A complete list of state, local, and private incentive, loan, grant, and assistance programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Idaho can be found here.

See the map below for renewable energy loan programs by state.

States with loan programs for renewable energy as of March 2015 (Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Energy efficiency regulations

As of February 2017, Idaho required new and residential commercial buildings to meet energy efficiency standards. On January 1, 2015, the state enacted the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which includes energy efficiency building codes related to heating, ventilating, air conditioning, water heating, and lighting. The 2012 IECC can be found here.

Net metering

Net metering is a billing system in which customers who generate their own electricity, usually using renewable sources (such as solar panels) are able to sell their excess electricity back to the electric grid, which is an interconnected network that is used to deliver electricity. This requires electricity to be able to flow both to and from a consumer.

As of October 2016, Idaho and Texas were the two states with voluntary locally operated or privately run net metering policies. For a complete list of net metering programs by state, click here.

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent energy policy bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Idaho State Legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Ballot measures

Energy policy ballot measures

See also: Energy on the ballot and List of Idaho ballot measures

Ballotpedia has covered 4 ballot measures relating to state and local energy policy in Idaho.

1. Idaho Affirmation of Water Rights, SJR 7 (1924)
2. Idaho Limit Use of Natural Streams, HJR 13 (1928)
3. Idaho Municipal Electric Bonds, HJR 7 (2010)
4. Idaho Nuclear Energy Initiative, Initiative 3 (1982)

Utility policy ballot measures

See also: Local utility tax and fees on the ballot

Ballotpedia has not covered any ballot measures relating to local utility tax and fees in Idaho.

Production

• Total production
• Nonrenewable production
• Production (2004-2014)

The sections below include statistics on total energy production in Idaho, oil and natural gas production in Idaho, oil and gas production in Idaho over time (2004-2014), and oil and gas production on federal land, including the amount of federal land leased in Idaho for production.

Total energy production

The table below provides information regarding energy production in Idaho in British thermal units (Btu). A British thermal unit is used to measure the heat contained in different fuels. The U.S. Department of Energy defines a Btu as "the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of liquid water by 1 degree Fahrenheit." Fuels are discussed in terms of Btu to compare fuels with different energy content and prices. For example, one gallon of gasoline equals 120,524 Btu.

Energy production, 2014 (in billion Btu)
State	Biomass	Coal	Crude oil	Nuclear energy	Natural gas	Renewable	Total*
Idaho	8,517	0	0	0	0	154,936	163,453
Montana	0	790,673	173,304	0	64,117	133,710	1,161,804
Oregon	5,844	0	0	0	974	478,961	485,779
Wyoming	1,621	6,880,205	441,252	0	1,986,322	53,976	9,363,376
U.S. average	38,759	404,181	307,301	160,980	585,731	187,132	1,684,085
*Total figures were computed by Ballotpedia. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Nonrenewable energy production

The table below provides information regarding nonrenewable energy production in Idaho. For coal data, the phrase productive capacity refers to the maximum amount of coal that could be expected to be produced in 2014. The natural gas and crude oil production data refer to the amounts of natural gas and crude oil produced in December 2014 and April 2016, respectively.

Nonrenewable energy production
State	Coal, productive capacity (short tons)	Natural gas (million cubic feet)	Crude oil (thousand barrels)
Date	2014	December 2014	April 2016
Idaho	0	0	0
Montana	51,900,000	4,963	1,971
Oregon	0	80	0
Wyoming	489,262,123	144,491	6,179
U.S. average	24,874,314	43,350	4,388
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Oil and gas production (2004-2014)

Note: This section provides information about oil and gas production on private and state-owned lands. Information on oil and gas production on federal lands is accessible here.

The table below provides information about crude oil production in Idaho. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparative purposes. Because Idaho had few crude oil or natural gas reserves as of 2015, there was limited oil or gas production in the state.

Crude oil production in Idaho and select surrounding states, in thousand barrels
State	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	Percent of total 2014 production	2014 Rank
Idaho	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	--*	0.0%	N/A
Montana	24,718	32,787	36,294	34,907	31,596	27,835	25,333	24,156	26,495	29,289	29,346	0.92%	12
Oregon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%	N/A
Washington	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%	N/A
United States	1,991,394	1,891,227	1,857,044	1,853,166	1,830,002	1,952,670	2,000,861	2,060,398	2,377,806	2,722,171	3,180,813	--	--
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Crude Oil Production" Note: The data above are field production data.

The table below provides information about natural gas production in Idaho. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparative purposes.

Natural gas production in Idaho and select surrounding states, in million cubic feet (MMCF)
State	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	Percent of total 2013 production	2013 rank
Idaho	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%	N/A
Montana	86,431	97,838	108,555	114,037	120,575	119,399	105,251	93,266	79,506	66,954	63,242	0.21%	21
Oregon	731	467	454	621	409	778	821	1,407	1,344	770	770	0.0%	29
Washington	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%	N/A
United States	24,118,978	23,969,678	23,456,822	23,535,018	24,663,656	25,636,257	26,056,893	26,816,085	28,479,026	29,542,313	30,005,254	--	--
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production" The data presented above are gross withdrawals in million cubic feet (MMCF). Production data for 2014 were estimated for some, but not all, states; "--" indicates data were not available.

Energy usage

• Consumption

The section below includes statistics on electricity consumption in the state by energy type (in 2014).

Consumption

The table below provides information about energy consumption by source in Idaho in 2014. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparison.

Energy consumption in Idaho, 2014 (in billion BtuBtu or British thermal units is a means of measuring the heat contained in fuels. "It is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of liquid water by 1 degree Fahrenheit." Fuels are often converted into Btu to make it easier to compare different types of fuels with different energy contents and prices. For comparison, one gallon of gasoline equals 120,524 Btu.)
State	Coal	Crude oil and petroleum products	Natural gas	Nuclear energy	Solar	Wind	Geothermal	Hydropower	Wood and wood waste	Biomass
Idaho	7,472	163,832	94,319	0	70	26,683	2,252	85,611	31,803	40,040
Montana	175,357	172,831	79,260	0	64	18,771	337	109,201	5,337	8,888
Oregon	34,238	339,434	225,576	0	3,585	71,852	2,977	335,341	59,361	72,449
Wyoming	489,300	175,326	141,763	0	19	41,899	663	8,261	1,512	4,566
U.S. average	359,931	716,746	544,353	172,585	20,739	531,323	16,555	61,397	65,345	101,581
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Prices and taxes

• Energy prices
• Energy spending
• Fuel taxes
• Federal tax

The sections below include information on energy prices and spending in Idaho, fuel taxes and state taxes in Idaho and in neighboring states, and an overview of the federal tax on gasoline.

Energy prices

The price of electricity is affected by supply and demand. The supply of electricity is affected by fuel prices, environmental and energy regulations, power plant capacity, weather, and other factors. Demand for electricity also affects the price. Because electricity cannot be stored for long periods of time, it must be produced and used when it is needed. As demand for electricity increases, the price also generally increases.

The table below provides information about energy prices in Idaho as of April 2016. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparison.

Note: In comparing dollar amounts across the states, it is important to note that the cost of living can from state to state and within a state. The amounts given on this page have not been adjusted to reflect these differences. For more information on "regional price disparities" and the Consumer Price Index, see the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Energy prices in Idaho
State	Natural gas Dollars per thousand cubic foot	Electricity Cents per kilowatthour
Date	April 2016	April 2016
Idaho	$8.91	7.9
Montana	$6.76	8.7
Oregon	$13.70	8.7
Wyoming	$7.92	8.2
U.S. average	$11.20	10.41
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Electricity prices can vary depending on the type of consumer; consumer categories include residential, commercial, industrial, and in some cases, transportation. The rate-making process is both political and economic. The table below presents information about electricity prices by consumer type in Idaho in April 2016. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparison.

Electricity prices in Idaho by sector (in cents per kilowatthour)
State	Commercial	Industrial	Residential	Transportation	Average (all sectors)
Date	April 2016	April 2016	April 2016	April 2016	April 2016
Idaho	7.7	6.1	9.9	7.7	7.8
Montana	10.3	4.5	11.0	10.3	9.0
Oregon	8.9	5.8	10.5	8.9	8.5
Wyoming	9.4	7.0	11.0	9.4	9.2
U.S. average	10.48	7.45	13.05	10.47	10.36
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Energy spending

The table below provides information about energy spending in Idaho as of 2014. Information from select surrounding states is provided for comparison.

Energy spending in Idaho, 2014 (in millions of dollar except per capita spending)
State	Petroleum	Coal	Natural gas	Nuclear	Per capita spending
Idaho	$4,515	$24	$609	$	$4,270
Montana	$3,850	$322	$528	$	$5,402
Oregon	$9,426	$87	$1,498	$	$3,744
Wyoming	$4,019	$798	$456	$	$9,997
U.S. average	$17,267	$1,322	$3,786	$574	$5,304
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Google Sheets API"

Fuel taxes

Click to enlarge.

Revenue collected by federal, state, and local governments from fuel taxes is usually used to fund transportation infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Some states may charge an excise tax based on how much gas or diesel is purchased. Some states may charge retail tax based on the average price of gas over a certain period. Additionally, some states may charge an environmental tax to be used for environmental projects. The Tax Foundation, which created the map to the right, used data from the American Petroleum Institute, which converted each state's different tax structure into cents per gallon to compare each state's gas taxes. In 2016, gas taxes accounted for 23 percent of the price of gasoline. Crude oil accounted for 40 percent of the price of gasoline, refining accounted for 24 percent of the price, and distribution and marketing accounted for 13 percent of the remainder.

The table below provides information about state fuel taxes by type (excluding the federal gas taxes) in Idaho as of January 2016. As of January 2016, Idaho levied a 32 cent state gasoline tax and a 32 cent state diesel tax. Idaho ranked 15th highest in total gasoline taxes (federal and state) and 17th highest in total diesel fuel taxes as of January 2016.

State motor fuel taxes in cents per gallon, January 2016
State	State gasoline tax	Total gasoline tax	Rank	State diesel tax	Total diesel tax	Rank
Idaho	32.0	50.4	15	32.0	56.4	17
Montana	27.8	46.2	27	28.5	52.9	25
Oregon	31.1	49.5	16	30.4	54.8	20
Wyoming	24.0	42.4	32	24.0	48.4	33
U.S. average	30.29	48.69	N/A	30.01	54.41	N/A
Source: American Petroleum Institute, "Motor Fuel Taxes"

Federal tax

The first federal tax on gasoline was proposed by Secretary of the Treasury Ogden L. Mills under President Herbert Hoover (R) as a revenue generating measure to balance the budget during the Great Depression. A 1-cent tax per gallon of imported gasoline and fuel oil was passed as part of the Revenue Act of 1932 and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D). The 1-cent tax continued until 1951 when the tax was increased to 2 cents in part to raise revenue during the Korean War. In 1956, the tax was raised to 3 cents to fund the Interstate Highway System. During this time, the Highway Trust Fund was created as a means to fund highway construction. Since 1956, there have been increases to the tax. As of April 2016, the gas tax was last raised by President Bill Clinton (D) in 1993 to 18.4 cents per gallon.

Utilities

• Background
• Electricity markets
• Electric reliability organizations
  • Idaho

The sections below include general information on utilities, an overview of utilities and electricity markets, information on the types of utilities in Idaho, an overview of electricity reliability organizations (EROs), and the EROs that oversee electricity in Idaho.

Background

Utilities are firms that own and/or operate facilities to generate, transmit, and/or distribute electricity, gas, and/or water to the public. Electric utilities are commercial entities that own and operate facilities to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to the public and/or the industrial sector. State and local regulators oversee transmission and distribution charges. Local utilities read electric meters and bill individuals or businesses, generally on a monthly basis.

Utilities are defined differently in each state and in federal legislation. Two general types of utilities are private and public utilities. Private utilities, commonly known as investor-owned utilities, provide stocks to investors and sell bonds. These utilities are regulated by state regulatory agencies. State agencies are also responsible for setting retail rates charged by investor-owned utilities, overseeing utility infrastructure, and ensuring that investor-owned utilities respond to customer service demands. Public utilities include government or municipally owned utilities. Another type of utility is an electric cooperative. Cooperatives are nonprofit businesses voluntarily owned and managed by the individuals and businesses that use their services. They are commonly used in rural areas that do not have access to a larger state or region-wide electric grid.

Electricity markets

Electricity markets in each state are defined as regulated or deregulated. A regulated market includes utilities that own and manage the power plants that generate the electricity, the electricity transmission lines, and the distribution equipment (such as wires and electric poles). In addition, the utilities rates are approved and regulated by local and state agencies. A deregulated market requires utilities to divest ownership in the generation and transmission of electricity. In this market, utilities oversee the interconnection from a meter at a household or business to the power grid and is responsible for billing ratepayers.

Depending on the state and/or area, public utilities may provide most or all energy services to homes and businesses, or a state may allow other private electricity providers to transmit and distribute electricity in addition to other utilities. For example, one type of private provider is a retail energy provider, which sells electricity in areas with retail competition. The provider purchases wholesale electricity and the delivery services (such as transmission lines) and can price electricity to particular consumers.

As of February 2017, Idaho was one of 40 states with a regulated electricity market. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is responsible for regulating three investor-owned utilities in the state: Avista Utilities, Idaho Power, and Rocky Mountain Power. The commission does not regulate customer-owned electric cooperatives or publicly owned municipal utilities. The commission sets electric rates and issues rules for the investor-owned utility operations. In addition, the commission hears and resolves complaints and issues quasi-judicial orders, which may be appealed by the Idaho Supreme Court.

Electric reliability organizations

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 required the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to designate an electric reliability organization (ERO) for the United States. An ERO oversees the reliability of a nation's electric grid. In 2006, FERC granted authority to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop and enforce grid reliability standards for the United States. NERC, a self-regulated nonprofit corporation, is authorized to enforce grid reliability standards for all users, owners, and operators of the U.S. electrical system.

NERC works with eight regional reliability organizations to oversee the U.S. electrical system. These organizations, known as regional entities, are composed of officials from investor-owned utilities, federal power agencies, electric cooperatives, and state and municipal utilities. Regional entities enforce NERC and regional reliability standards. Further, they forecast electricity demand and coordinate operations with other regional entities.

Idaho EROs

As of February 2017, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) was the NERC-affiliated corporation that oversees electricity in Idaho. The WECC conducts studies and assessments of the electricity grid, conducts long-term planning, and develops regional standards for electricity reliability.

Background

• Background
• Idaho energy profile
• State profile
• Economic indicators

The sections below include an overview of the types of renewable and nonrenewable energy produced and consumed in the United States, an energy profile of Idaho (from the U.S. Energy Information Administration), a general profile of Idaho (from the 2016 edition of the Almanac of American Politics), and various economic indicators in Idaho.

Background on energy resources

Nonrenewable energy sources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas (sometimes known as fossil fuels), and renewable sources, such as hydropower, wind, biofuels, and solar energy, are produced in each state, though at different levels depending on a state's geography, energy consumption, and the raw materials available in a particular state. For example, several states do not have coal, oil, and/or natural gas resources. States that lack these resources import these fuels.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, oil, coal, and natural gas comprise the majority of the resources used to generate power in the United States. In 2014, the top five energy-producing states were the top five fossil fuel-producing states—Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and West Virginia. These states' fossil fuel production accounted for approximately 42 percent of U.S. energy production in 2014. States with fewer coal, oil, and natural gas resources generally consume less energy. In 2014, the bottom five energy-producing states—Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Hampshire—produced 0.2 percent of U.S. energy and consumed approximately 2 percent of total U.S. energy.

The production of biofuels (liquid fuels created from plant or plant-derived materials) is generally concentrated in the Midwest—states such as Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota) given the region's agricultural production of crops such as corn, which is used to make ethanol, a biofuel that can be blended with gasoline and used as a transportation fuel.

Other renewable sources are used to generate power in the states include hydroelectric power, which accounted for about half of all renewable energy production in the United States in 2014.

Idaho energy profile

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Idaho is home to limited oil, coal, and natural gas resources. From 1903 to 1988, more than 150 wells were drilled in attempts to discover natural gas.

As of 2014, oil and gas companies focused mainly on southeastern Idaho, which is near Wyoming. Bridge Resources, a private company, purchased leases in 2005 in Canyon, Gem, and Payette counties. The company drilled 11 exploration wells in 2010, seven of which had potential for production. Bridge Resources estimated that the area contained between 68 billion and 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas while the U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the state contained gas resources at 10 billion cubic feet or less.

In 2014, Idaho reported proved natural gas reserves for the first time, according to the EIA. The EIA stated that "exploration for petroleum in Idaho began in 1903, but, despite promising geology in the state's southeast and southwest, no commercial reserves were discovered until recently, when small amounts of crude oil and condensate were produced from wells drilled primarily for natural gas." In April 2014, Idaho held its first ever oil and gas lease auction for 26,400 acres of state land and minerals in southeastern Idaho. Additionally, the Idaho Department of Lands, which regulates oil and gas extraction, reported that there were natural gas reserves in Payette County. The EIA reported that commercial natural gas production was occurring in southeastern Idaho as of November 17, 2016.

As of 2015, between 60 percent and 80 percent of Idaho's in-state net electricity generation came from hydroelectric power plants. Around one-third of the state's electricity as of 2015 came from power delivered through interstate transmission lines from out-of-state energy sources. In 2015, four of the state's 10 largest electric-generating facilities ran on hydroelectric power.

State profile

This excerpt is reprinted here with the permission of the 2016 edition of the Almanac of American Politics and is up to date as of the publication date of that edition. All text is reproduced verbatim, though links have been added by Ballotpedia staff. To read the full chapter on Idaho, click here.

You may have seen the TV spot: A huge potato on an enormous flatbed truck is driving around the country to promote the consumption of Idaho potatoes. Now that Hawaii has quit producing pineapples in any quantity, no other state is associated so closely with a single crop. But potatoes are not the only product of Idaho. Between 1990 and 2016, the population of this state expanded by more than two-thirds, despite being tucked off near the northwest edge of the continental United States, far from any major metro area. And the flow has not ebbed: From 2015 to 2016 alone, Idaho grew by 1.8 percent, a faster rate than any state but neighboring Utah and Nevada. Population growth has been fed by technological innovation, which in turn has brought increased prosperity and cemented the state's solid support for Republicans.

Back in 1953, an eighth-grade dropout named J.R. Simplot perfected the process of freezing French fries; with a handshake, he sealed a contract with a little restaurant ...(read more)

Demographic data for Idaho
	Idaho	U.S.
Total population:	1,652,828	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	82,643	3,531,905
Gender
Female:	49.9%	50.8%
Race and ethnicity**
White:	91.7%	73.6%
Black/African American:	0.6%	12.6%
Asian:	1.3%	5.1%
Native American:	1.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.6%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	11.8%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	89.5%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	25.9%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$47,583	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	16.9%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Idaho

Idaho voted Republican in all five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016.

More Idaho coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Idaho
• United States congressional delegations from Idaho
• Public policy in Idaho
• Influencers in Idaho
• Idaho fact checks
• More...

Economic indicators

See also: Economic indicators by state

Idaho's GDP increased by 2.7 percent in 2014. Click the image to view a larger version.

Broadly defined, a healthy economy is typically one that has a "stable and strong rate of economic growth" (gross state product, in this case) and low unemployment, among many other factors. The economic health of a state can significantly affect its healthcare costs, insurance coverage, access to care, and citizens' physical and mental health. For instance, during economic downturns, employers may reduce insurance coverage for employees, while those who are laid off may lose coverage altogether. Individuals also tend to spend less on non-urgent care or postpone visits to the doctor when times are hard. These changes in turn may affect the decisions made by policymakers as they react to shifts in the industry. Additionally, a person's socioeconomic status has profound effects on their access to care and the quality of care received.

In September 2014, Idaho had an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent, lowest among its neighboring states. In 2013, most residents in Idaho earned incomes between 200 and 399 percent above the federal poverty level, with a median annual income of $49,952.

Note: Gross state product (GSP) on its own is not necessarily an indicator of economic health; GSP may also be influenced by state population size. Many factors must be looked at together to assess state economic health.

Various economic indicators by state
State	Distribution of population by FPL* (2013)				Median annual income (2011-2013)	Unemployment rate		Total GSP (2013)†
	Under 100%	100-199%	200-399%	400%+		Sept. 2013	Sept. 2014
Idaho	13%	25%	34%	29%	$49,952	6%	4.5%	$62,247
Montana	15%	19%	35%	31%	$43,924	5.6%	4.6%	$44,040
Oregon	15%	19%	31%	35%	$54,066	7.6%	7.1%	$219,590
Washington	12%	19%	28%	41%	$60,520	6.9%	5.7%	$408,049
United States	15%	19%	30%	36%	$52,047	7.2%	5.9%	$16,701,415
* Federal Poverty Level. "The U.S. Census Bureau's poverty threshold for a family with two adults and one child was $18,751 in 2013. This is the official measurement of poverty used by the Federal Government." † Median annual household income, 2011-2013. ‡ In millions of current dollars. "Gross State Product is a measurement of a state's output; it is the sum of value added from all industries in the state." Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

See also

• 

  Energy policy in the U.S.

• 

  Fracking in Idaho

• 

  Environmental policy in Idaho

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Idaho energy policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Energy policy in Idaho - Google News