Washington State's Governor condones the usurping of local land use authority
Mike Robertson
After close to 5 years of public testimony, the unanimous recommendation for denial of the project by the Kittitas County Planning Commission, and the unanimous denial by locally elected (accountable) Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners; the Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project has been approved by a state Governor who is elected by people over 100 miles away and will never have to live near these monstrosities.
The project will be constructed by Houston, Texas based, foreign owned, Horizon Wind Energy LLC (recently acquired by EDP-Energias de Portugal SA). The wind turbines are foreign made (Vestas) and the miniscule amount of energy produced will most likely end up being sold to California. The project will exist in a known raptor migratory flyway and the developer’s own “expert” testimony in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) states that Bald Eagles are likely to be killed. The project will straddle a State of Washington designated Scenic Highway and turbines will be within [the new setback requirement of] 1,640 feet of existing residences.
This is a sad day for local participatory democracy.
Mike Robertson
Cle Elum, WA
[Click here for more information about the Kittitas Valley project. [1]]
Download “Governor’s letter approving Kittitas Valley wind project” [2]
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/2007/09/19/washington-states-governor-condones-the-usurping-of-local-land-use-authority/
URLs in this post:
[1] Click here for more information about the Kittitas Valley project.: http://www.efsec.wa.gov/kittitaswind.shtml
[2] Download “Governor’s letter approving Kittitas Valley wind project”: http://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/govltr-kv-070918.pdf