Alternate Energy Holdings Inc.'s tour of Idaho continues, with the Eagle-based nuclear power plant developer now setting sights on Payette County.Just 41 more counties to go.

AEHI, which shifted its proposed plant from Owyhee County to Elmore County in early 2008, has asked for a comprehensive plan amendment for a privately-owned, 5,100-acre site in remote northern Payette County.

Elmore County, it seems, is being too deliberate in its due diligence.

"If we indeed want to build a nuclear power plant, we have to press forward, and that's what we're doing," spokesman Martin Johncox said, emphasizing that the company hasn't given up on Elmore County.

We wish it would, although Payette County - passed over by no less than Warren Buffett as a potential site for a nuclear plant last year - presents its own challenges.

Buffett's MidAmerican Nuclear Energy concluded a different Payette County site didn't pencil out, and MidAmerican has a whole lot more capital at its disposal than does AEHI CEO Don Gillispie.

"Mr. Buffett had three things Mr. Gillispie lacks: money, a proven energy track record and credibility among local residents," said Ken Miller, the Snake River Alliance's energy program director.

Payette County officials now face the same challenge Elmore and Owyhee officials did: Buffett's proposal was on state land, and this will be the first nuclear-plant application Payette has handled directly. The plan amendment will require two public hearings, and AEHI officials would then need to submit a conceptual proposal and go through more hearings to actually rezone the site.

That's much like the process that Elmore County officials are going through to make sure they get this decision right.

The Elmore County application reached county commissioners last spring, but was remanded back to that county's Planning and Zoning Committee. An extensive comprehensive plan analysis and staff report is currently being reviewed by county staff and various attorneys.

Will Payette County commissioners prove more malleable? We hope not. The site is 38 miles from Boise, 33 miles from Nampa and 22 miles from Caldwell - and immediately upwind of 617,000 Idahoans. The same tough questions that have been asked about the Elmore County site should be asked about the Payette location.