(Colfax, WA) Dozens of people recommended new stricter regulations on wind farms in Whitman County during a public hearing Monday night.
The hearing was conducted by the Whitman County Commissioners after the board last month placed a six month moratorium on new commercial wind turbines. The moratorium will allow the county time to update its codes regulating wind farms. The move comes as a Portland company is proposing a controversial wind farm near Kamiak Butte, north of Pullman. Steelhead Americas wants to build and operate 45 turbines on private ground that they have leased near the National Natural Landmark. The wind farm has drawn strong opposition from a large coalition of local residents called Save the Palouse.
Monday night’s hearing allowed citizens a chance to recommend what new restrictions they would like to see on wind turbines. About 35 people spoke to the board in a full house of about 50 who attended the hearing in person inside the Public Service Building in Colfax. Most of the commenters focused on increasing setback requirements between adjacent properties and wind turbines including Save the Palouse President Rick McNannay.
Residents asked the board to require fire mitigation standards on the wind turbines and to further protect aircraft traffic and nearby airports and airstrips. Several recommendations involved strengthening the county’s decommissioning code to ensure that old wind farms are returned to productive farmland.
There were a couple of local residents who spoke in favor of the wind farm arguing that the current code is sufficient including Pullman resident and Nez Perce Tribal Member Julian Matthews.
Commissioner Art Swannack told the crowd that he believes some parts of the code need to be fixed.
The county commissioners will use Monday’s public input to help craft their direction to the county’s planning commission to update the rules for wind farms. The planning commission will revise the code which will include more chances for public comment. The planning commission will then recommend updates to the county commissioners who will have the final say.
