Comments blow in on wind farm statement

Comments both in support and opposition of the draft environmental impact statement of First Wind’s proposed wind farm on Naff Ridge west of Oakesdale have been flowing into the office of County Planner Alan Thomson.

The six-inch thick statement, released last month, was prepared by the CH2M Hill engineering firm. It includes information about the potential environmental and economic impacts the area might see from the installation of 55 wind turbines along the ridge. Naff Ridge runs west of Oakesdale north of Trestle Creek Road and angles north along Highway 195 between Thornton and the Horn School Rest stop.

Since its release, the statement has garnered comments from a number of public agencies and local citizens. Those comments may be included in the final statement, which should be complete in January. Comment period on the draft version will end Monday, Dec. 20.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife asked Thomson last week for an extension of the comment deadline because the holiday season limited time their staff could spend on the review.

Thomson said after meeting with the department, F & W officials said they could have their comments in by Monday.

Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation commented on some of the procedures used to survey the archeological history of the proposed site.

Tribal officials said they were not contacted about the Indian heritage of the property. Such records are not public, but are available through consultation with county government.

Duane Wolmuth, executive director of the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA), praised the project because of its potential to create local jobs, increase tax revenues to local governments and improve the overall economy.

“We have seen how wind projects in other counties have positively impacted the quality of life in small rural areas through positive impacts on schools, libraries, hospitals and other services,” he wrote.

Deepa Parashar, an airport planner with the Federal Aviation Administration, wrote the agency had no objection to the proposed siting of the towers, and saw no interference from the towers on flight patterns.

Carolyn Kiesz of Thornton criticized the statement, saying it was filled with “boilerplate” information extrapolated from reports performed on other wind farms.

In particular, she took issue with CH2M Hill’s work on the wind farm’s impacts on wildlife in the Naff Ridge area. She noted only four seasons were studied, and that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife guidelines call for two years of study in areas without solid data.

The report said no adequate data was available on avian flight patterns or raptor nesting areas. Because of that, the firm used information from Hopkins Ridge and Stateline wind farms in southern Washington for its report.

Kiesz added the statement does not mention the presence of elk or moose in the area, nor does it address the possible presence of the Giant Palouse Earthworm in the proposed wind farm area.

She also said the study “brushes off” possible impacts of noise on rural neighbors of wind farms, citing studies from commercial scientist Dr. Nina Pierpont and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Noise pollution has been a repeated criticism by Roger Whitten of Oakesdale, who was the earliest of commenters on First Wind’s environmental impact statement.

Several local residents and businesses wrote in comments of support for the project.

Wayne Maley of TM Cattle Company of Malden said the wind farm is a step toward a switch to renewable energy sources. He said he was considering using a solar energy system on his ranch. Maley’s family owns land that is included in First Wind’s project.

Gregg Beckley of Benge wrote the wind farm would be a good source of alternative revenue for farmers and would help local governments pay for services.

Realtor Chud Wendle of Pullman wrote the project would provide benefits for business and would be good for the area’s housing market.

Several other citizens submitted short comments on post cards that had been handed out earlier this year at a forum on the economic benefits of wind farms hosted by SEWEDA.