Wind turbines impact draft gets many comments at deadline

A flurry of comments on the draft of the Environment Impact statement for the proposed First Wind turbine farm along Naff Ridge west of Oakesdale were received at the office of County Planner Alan Thomson before the Dec. 20 deadline for comment.

Concerns about remnants of the Palouse Prairie, incomplete avian studies, traffic flow, and loss of job opportunities were among those reflected in written comments which were received at the planner’s office.

The comment period was for the draft which has been prepared by the CH2M Hill engineering firm on the potential environmental and economic impacts of the proposed project. As many as 55 wind turbines could be included in the Naff Ridge project.

The impact statement is part of a process for a conditional use permit application which will be required to locate the turbines in the county’s agricultural zone.

The draft has been sent to agencies in the jurisdiction, affected tribes and people who requested one. The Dec. 20 deadline was the end of a 30-day period allowed for agencies and individuals to comment on the draft.

A final Environmental Impact Statement is required within 60 days of the Dec. 20 end of the comment period on the draft. Copies of the final EIS will be sent to agencies, affected tribes and anyone who requests a copy. The county is required to sent a copy, or a notice that copies are available, to anyone who commented on the draft EIS.

The county is also required to sen a notice of the conditional use permit hearing date 12 days in advance and publish the notice 10 days in advance.

The conditional use hearing, and any appeal of the final draft of the Environmental Impact Statement, will be heard by a hearing examiner, probably a lawyer with expertise in land use law.

Michael Ritter, wind mitigation biologist for the state Fish & Wildlife Department, submitted a written comment on the Dec. 20 deadline date.

Ritter said the project needs a better collection of avian use information. He pointed out cold winter temperatures in the north push birds south into habitat which offers foraging opportunities. Lack of winter survey information on the Naff Ridge site means a lack of information on how the area could be part of this winter foraging practice

Ritter noted a survey on the site in the harsh winter of 2009 ended Jan. 9, and the 2010 winter survey was invalid because it was conducted in a light winter.

Ritter’s comment noted the habitat type on the ridge represents remnants of the once vast Palouse Prairie with nesting opportunities for Grasshopper sparrows and Savannah sparrows.

Dr. Timothy Hatten, member of the board of the Palouse Prairie Foundation, also said remnants of the Palouse Prairie were in the Naff Ridge site. He noted the absence of “an adequate baseline survey of the plants or animals found in those remnants.”

Hatten said all of the remnants in the area, including those found on the Granite Knob area, should be surveyed at the correct time of year.

His comment noted the potential presence of the Giant Palouse Earthworm in the remnant areas. Status of the worm is now up for review by the US Fish & Wildlife, he pointed out.

Thomas Weber, interim president of the Palouse Audubon Society in his Dec. 20 comment noted “it would appear that avian survey data lacks a scientific statistical consistency” that would normally be required in an EIS statement.

Not all sites in the area have been included in the plan. He noted it lacks avian studies for the site area on the east and west sides of the Old Thornton Highway.

Janet Danley of Walla Walla Community College pointed out the job opportunities inherent in the Naff Ridge proposal. The college’s wind energy technology program works to certify students for entry level positions as technicians or supervisory personnel. She said they are already working with operators of wind turbine sites in Columbia and Garfield counties.

Greg Fisg in a Dec. 20 comment for the State Department of Transportation said proposed warning signs for the project along Highway 195 are not adequate to advise motorists of construction traffic which could be as much as 350 vehicles a day. Fisg also questioned whether the radius for turnoffs into the project area would accommodate the types of big loads which will be transported for the turbines and equipment.

William Vogel of Lacey requested an extension of the comment period for the draft. Vogel noted the Palouse Country offers a “tremendous economy” for planed photo tours bringing photographers into the area. The photographers bring an economic gain to the area which could be impacted by the installation of turbines, he pointed out.

Among comments logged into the office have been pre-printed and pre-addressed post cards which have been circulated at economic development meetings. A total of 17 of the “I Support Palouse Wind” cards were received and logged in time to meet the Dec. 20 deadline.