OCTOBER 2008: AROUND THE STATE
State energy officials tilting at windmills
BURNS Concerned
about a proliferation of wind farms just small enough to fall
outside of its jurisdiction, the state Department of Energy has
notified Harney County that it wants to examine several
recently approved wind-generation projects to see if they
should be considered as one “energy generation
area” and come under the jurisdiction of the Oregon
Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC).
One environmental group is pleased, one county judge is
frustrated. The state says it is not trying to stop the
projects but wants to make sure any cumulative impact is
addressed.
Harney’s planning commission recently approved three
separate 104-megawatt projects by developer Columbia Energy
Partners of Vancouver. Columbia’s fourth project, at Mann
Lake, is also 104 megawatts and already permitted. “For
business reasons it makes sense to do it in 100-megawatt
increments,” says Chris Crowley of Columbia Energy.
“These are different projects with different financing
and transmission issues.” Currently, there is no
transmission capacity to run power out of the three proposed
projects.
“This isn’t just about Harney County,” says
Diana Enright, assistant director of the state’s
renewable energy division. “We are working with all
counties that are developing small wind farms.” The
energy council was to meet in late September to consider the
issue.
“I would like to work with the state and use their
expertise, but we have statutory authority to do this,”
says Harney County Judge Steve Grasty. “The developer has
been on this a long time, and this is the first glimmer of hope
for job creation in this county.” Grasty says about 35-60
permanent jobs would be created by the four projects.
“EFSC is a more time-consuming and costly
process,” says Crowley. “A good county process can
lead to the same result.” Crowley in late August asked
for a continuance so he could talk to environmental groups
about their concerns.
Dave Becker, staff attorney for the Oregon Natural Desert
Association, says he considers Columbia’s four projects
as one 400-megawatt project that was split to get around state
review. He says the applications have insufficient detail about
the environmental impact of the wind turbines, which would be
near wilderness and wildlife refuge areas that are major
flyways for migrating birds.
Enright emphasizes that state involvement “won’t
stop the Harney projects. I spent two days last week in Burns
with the judge. We are all working toward the same goal. The
state wants to develop renewable energy.”
ROBIN DOUSSARD
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