Headwaters Economics is conducting research and outreach on new transmission infrastructure from the perspective of regional economic development, focusing on issues most relevant to local and state decision makers such as purpose and need, fiscal and property value impacts, and the economics of new transmission lines.
Project Description
From 2010 to 2012, Headwaters Economics participated in the “MSTI Review Project”, providing independent analysis to evaluate the possible effects on local communities from the proposed Mountain States Transmission Intertie (MSTI), a 500 kV line proposed by NorthWestern Energy that would cross Montana and Idaho.
MSTI Questions and Answers
This impact analysis, “MSTI Questions and Answers,” addresses several major questions concerning the proposed MSTI line. A summary of the report also is available.
Transmission Lines and Property Value Impacts: A Summary of Key Published Research
This analysis of key literature discusses the research on impacts to property values from high voltage transmission lines with a focus on possible implications for the MSTI proposal. We also prepared a short summary of the report.
Tax Revenue: A Guide to Fiscal Impact Analysis in Montana and Idaho
This report helps local governments understand how high voltage transmission lines can create public revenue and how the scale of the revenue opportunity is affected by state policies in Montana and Idaho. A report summary also is available.
Economic Profiles of the Region
These profiles provide socioeconomic information for aggregates of counties potentially impacted by MSTI, analyzing variables such as population, jobs, personal income, and relationships between economic sectors.