BURLEY — County efforts to entice the federal government to build a “green prison” near a Raft River geo-thermal plant were suspended Monday.

Cassia County Commissioner Clay Handy said commissioners voted to cancel the county’s contract with consulting firm New West Strategies after the prison proposal failed to show up on any federal budget.

“You know we rolled the dice,” Handy said Tuesday. “And if you don’t play you never win.”

Cassia and Minidoka county officials co-signed the New West contract, and the counties were splitting the $5,000 monthly consulting bill. The contract required a 30-day notice of cancellation.

Minidoka County Clerk Duane Smith said Minidoka County commissioners voted to cancel the contract on Monday as well.

New West Strategies was founded by former U.S. Sen. Larry Craig and Michael O. Ware, and was hired by the counties in October to lobby federal officials to bring the $300 million medium-security prison to the area. The prison would have partnered with the Raft River U.S. Geothermal Inc. plant. U.S. Geothermal officials could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

“It didn’t show up in the president’s or the House Appropriations budgets,” Handy said. “We just needed a little more assurance that it was a higher priority, for us to continue on with the contract.”

Handy said county officials spoke with the state’s congressional delegation about putting the prison in the county. Having state officials up to speed on the issue will be a plus if the opportunity is presented again, he said.

County officials will keep close tabs on any opportunities that may arise in the future, Handy said.

“It’s one of those things you have to jump on quick,” Handy said.

Handy said he doesn’t feel the right people were in place this time to swing a decision in the direction of the southern Idaho site.

“It most likely would be a political decision,” Handy said.

Handy said if federal money were in place to build a “green prison” right now, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., would probably be able to influence decision-makers to locate it in his state.

Some questioned whether Craig and his firm had enough influence with Congress to get the job done.

Steve Carpinelli, media manager for The Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C., said although Craig and his senior Senate staffers could not lobby any member of Congress or congressional staff members until January 2011, employees of Craig’s firm were free to lobby.

Handy said the federal government has funded four other prisons and picked sites but construction has not begun on any of them yet.

Laurie Welch may be reached at lwelch@magicvalley.com or 208-677-8767.