Washington Gov. Jay Inslee rejected a request on Thursday to slash a proposal for the state’s largest wind farm in half, reviving the $1.7 billion venture.
The Horse Heaven wind farm was initially planned to have up to 222 wind turbines spread across 24 miles (38.6 kilometers) of hillsides in eastern Washington’s Tri-Cities area, as well as three solar arrays spanning up to 8.5 square miles.
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However, last month, Washington’s seven-member Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, a clearinghouse for permits necessary for large projects, suggested cutting the proposal in half since nests of the endangered ferruginous hawk were discovered in the vicinity, according to The Seattle Times.
Inslee rejected the council’s suggestion on Thursday and asked the committee to reconsider, hoping to bring the project closer to its full potential. Inslee, a Democrat who will not seek reelection after three terms in government, has made climate policies a centerpiece of his legacy.
Since its proposal in 2021, the wind farm project has pitted local opponents against the state’s ever-increasing demand for renewable energy. In a statement to the site evaluation council, Inslee stated that Washington’s energy consumption might nearly treble by 2050.
He said folks who don’t want to look at the turbines aren’t enough of a cause to reject the project completely.
“It is clear that the turbines will be visible only from a distance, and none of the turbines will loom over anyone’s home,” said the author.
Inslee requested that the council strive to provide the Yakama Nation with improved access to the grounds, which are culturally and historically significant, while still restoring the majority of the planned wind farm. Tribal communities along the West Coast have expressed dissatisfaction with what they believe is a lack of input on measures affecting culturally sensitive waters and land.
For more than three years, the council has debated the Horse Heaven wind farm proposal. It now has only three months to review the governor’s notes and alter its original suggestion, according to the governor.
