Opinion ID: 2647906
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Power Granted under the RBA

Text: The City also argues that its extraterritorial eminent domain power can be “fairly implied” from the power the RBA grants it to acquire “by gift or purchase lands or rights in lands” outside the City’s boundaries “in connection with” the construction of transmission lines and other parts of the municipal electrical system. See § 50-1030(a). The City’s argument appears to be that, if the City has the express power to acquire and own property outside its borders for the purpose of constructing components of its municipal electrical system, then it must also be able to use the power of eminent domain (when necessary) to make use of those extraterritorially located components. However, in context, extraterritorial eminent domain power cannot be fairly implied from this grant of power. As discussed, the plain text of the statute reflects a deliberate choice by the legislature not to expand the power of eminent domain beyond the borders of a municipality in the RBA. It would contradict this intent to permit the City to make an end-run around the statutory text by acquiring property outside of its boundaries, then implying the power to use eminent domain to facilitate the City’s desired use of that property. Implication of such power under these circumstances could not be considered “fair[].” Black, 834 P.2d at 310. ALLIANCE V. CITY OF IDAHO FALLS 15