CHAPTER
11
THE INTERMOUNTAIN POWER PROJECT AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION l V l i l l a r d County during the last two decades of the twentieth century underwent economic diversification far surpassing any previous developments. The Intermountain Power Project (IPP), one of the largest coal-generated electric power plants in the Intermountain West, has been a prime factor. Several mining-related operations along with processing and manufacturing enterprises added to the economic base of the county. Agriculture continued to be important, sometimes even bringing the county into the national limelight. Tourism remained an important segment of the county's economy. A shift in population from the east side to the west side of the county plus new communications technology resulted in some rethinking of county government services and location. New environmental laws brought on a new relationship of local citizens with the national government that sometimes led to conflict and at other times to accommodation. In late 1977, after weeks of rumors, a public information meeting sponsored by the Intermountain Power Project was held at the Delta LDS Second Ward cultural hall. There, to a large gathering, an IPP official announced that a consortium of twenty-seven member 377
