Inslee directs regulators to reconsider wind farm proposal
By Dan Thesman on Friday, May 24th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee directed the Energy Facility Siting and Evaluation Council Thursday to reconsider portions of its proposed certification for the Horse Heaven Wind Farm Project near the Tri-Cities.
In a letter, Inslee directed the council to consider mitigation efforts more narrowly tailored to the specific impacts associated with the proposal.
The governor’s role in the sitting and evaluation process is quasi-judicial, meaning his decision must be based solely on the materials produced by the council. By statute, the council must perform this reconsideration “expeditiously”, and the governor has asked the council to respond within 90 days. After the council resubmits the draft site certification, incorporating any amendments based on its reconsideration, the governor must then either approve or reject the project.
According to Benton County Community Development, the Horse Heaven Wind Project, proposed for land south of the Tri-Cities in Benton County, looks to generate up to 1,150 megawatts for a combination of wind and solar facilities as well as battery energy storage systems. The applicant is seeking permitting authorization for up to 244 turbine locations and two solar arrays with their capacity dependent on the approved location, technology, and power market interest.
Site map via Washington Energy Facility Siting and Evaluation Council
