Wind turbine project moves forward

COLFAX - Plans for the possible development of a proposed wind turbine farm project Harvest Hills near Kamiak Butte are moving forward, with pushback from Whitman County residents.

Harvest Hills Project Director Shane Roche said that the project is on track and the company plans to submit their application for permit to the county at the end of this year or the beginning of 2025.

"We are excited to protect and preserve family farms, ensure that Whitman County becomes prosperous and work with the county through this entire process," said Roche.

There are residents of Whitman County who are in opposition to the project, with signs stating no wind farms scattered across the Palouse.

A group of residents protesting the proposed wind turbine project are hosting an evening discussion at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, at the Schweitzer Event Center, 1825 Schweitzer Drive.

The group will discuss the impact of the project on the area surrounding Kamiak including Colfax, Pullman and Palouse.

The residents created a website titled "Save the Palouse" to raise awareness about opposition to the proposed project. "Our organization is driven by our deep love for the Palouse and our unwavering commitment to preserving its natural beauty for future generations," states the site about us.

Save the Palouse started a petition on Change.org garnering 1,933 signatures of their 2,500 goal as of Thursday, June 13.

"Save the Palouse"

Co-Organizer and head of marketing of Save the Palouse, Tom Thompson, said that the June 20 meeting will be to educate anyone who doesn't know a lot about the proposed project.

"This whole thing has been going on for about three years now, with the big wind company sneaking around," Thompson said, adding that they come in and quietly sneak around to get leases.

Thompson said that they are trying to get local government involved. "Wind ordinances haven't been updated for a number of years. A lot of people don't rub shoulders with farmers for the most part and are kind of ignorant of it," he said.

Save the Palouse is not anti-wind or pro-wind, Thompson said, noting that there are many different types of people who make up the group. "I think people are starting to care about it," he said, pointing out that one of the biggest issues residents have is the loss of money photographers bring in.

According to Thompson, the group has increased their visibility going to events and raising awareness. "We've had members of our team go to the classic car show in Palouse, and by large a majority of the people are adamantly opposed to the wind farm," he said.

Thompson said that a majority of feedback to officials is that residents don't like the idea of the proposed wind turbine project.

"Our plans are we want to stop the project," Thompson said, "We don't want industrial wind turbines."

The big question, Thompson said is why do they have to go here, noting that there are so many unanswered questions that residents don't think Steelhead Americas is being forthright about.

"Where (is) the power going to be used? Who is using it, where is it going?" Thompson asked.

Thompson said that the June 20 meeting is open to the public. "The public doesn't realize the true economic impact it will have on the region if it goes through," he said, "We are concerned community members and we want to do what's best for our community."

Commissioners

During the Monday, June 17, County Commissioners Workshop and regular meeting. Commissioners discussed wind farm code.

County Commissioner Art Swannack addressed the Planning Commissioner during the regular meeting stating that the commissioners had discussed the topic in workshop.

"You weren't there for that," Swannack said to Whitman County Planner Alan Thompson "We did have a discussion on when we could get an update from you guys on your recommendations to talk about on the wind farm code."

Swannack asked that they set a time up so that Commissioner Tom Handy could get going on moving forward with the code.

Past code discussions

Whitman County Commissioners held two workshops to present the process, code, and laws surrounding the possible development of the wind turbine farm on Monday, April 29.

During the meeting Whitman County Prosecuting Attorney and Civil Attorney Denis Tracy explained that a wind turbine company, or those associated with wind companies have to obtain a conditional use permit.

County Planner Alan Thompson said that the conditional use permit has conditions related to noise, visual aspects and setbacks.

The application will then go to the Hearing Examiner, who decides if the permit is accepted or not. "He will take public comment as well," Thompson said at the April 29 workshop.

Thompson stated at the workshop that before the application there will be a public pre-application meeting so they will know that the applications is coming in the day after the meeting.

Tracy said during the April 29 workshop that if a conditional us permit is issued, or denied, by the Hearing Examiner that the outcome can appeal and be appealed to the Superior Court, called a Land Use Petition Act (LUPA), which starts a review process through the judicial court of the state.

If either side is dissatisfied, it can be appealed to the State Supreme Court.

The Energy Facility Site Evaluation and Council (EFSEC) was created, Tracy said, as an alternative process to comply with the local zoning code, or to have the project reviewed.

"It provides an alternative and the person that gets to choose is the applicant," Tracy said, "the developer, can anytime, for whatever reason, say 'I've decided not to go through the county review process.'"

Tracy explained that the developer can then decide to go through the state review process or EFSEC, and if they do then the project no longer has to comply with all zoning provisions for the county. In this scenario, Tracy said that the county planner is not the one who does the SEPA analysis, but it is done at the state level and approved or denied by the governor.

"There has not been a project considered by SFSEC that has been rejected," Tracy said, "every project, every recommendation to approve a project that was made to the governor has been approved by the governor."

Tracy said that the only option for commissioners would be to declare a moratorium or a pause to review county code, but they would need a good reason such as health issues, or an interim zoning change which would pause to allow them to review the code.

"Depending on what the commissioners do, that might dictate to the applicant what they can do," Tracy said, "Keep in mind that the applicant can decide to go the SFSEC route, and remove themselves from the local process. And remove the project from local codes."

Tracy said that a moratorium would not bind the state process.

"There are limited legal options available to the county," Tracy said at the April 29 workshop, "You want the county to follow the law."