NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
A2
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Company applies to build massive solar, wind project on farmland
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
RICHLAND, Wash. — A
state council next week will
have public hearings on plans
to build solar panels and erect
wind turbines on thousands of
acres of farmland in Benton
County in South-Central
Washington.
Scout Clean Energy of
Boulder, Colorado, would
lease 72,295 acres. While
6,860 acres would be “perma-
nently impacted,” the rest
could remain in agricultural
production, according to the
company’s application to the
Washington Energy Facility
Site Evaluation Council.
The project has encoun-
tered opposition. Two county
commissioners have said
they oppose it. Up to 244
wind turbines would be visi-
ble in the Tri-Cities, as well
as neighboring Franklin and
Walla Walla counties and
Oregon.
Wheat farmer Chris Wiley,
one of 69 landowners who
have signed lease agreements,
said the stable annual income
will help farmers keep farm-
ing.
“This is definitely a way
to keep family farms in the
family for generations,” he
said.
“As far as taking farm-
land out of production, it’s
pretty negligible,” Wiley said.
“We’ve weighed the pros and
Capital Press, File
Wind turbines line a ridge in a wheat field north of Helix. A Colorado company proposes to put up to 244 turbines on farmland
to the north in Benton County, Wash.
cons, and we’ve decided we’re
in favor of it.”
Scout Energy, owned by
private investment firm Quin-
brook Infrastructure Partners,
has been putting together the
parcels for several years.
Rather than seek approval
from a county hearings exam-
iner, the company last month
opted to apply to the state
council, an unelected board of
public employees that makes
recommendations to Gov. Jay
Inslee.
In its application, Scout
Energy said the wind and
solar project will help the state
Forecast for Pendleton Area
TODAY
FRIDAY
| Go to AccuWeather.com
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
have carbon-neutral electric-
ity by 2030, a signature goal
of Inslee’s climate-change
agenda.
Rep. Brad Klippert,
R-Kennewick, said Monday,
March 22, he opposes the proj-
ect, saying wind turbines have
marred Central Washington’s
Oregon relaxes school safety guidelines
By TERESA CARSON
Oregon Capital Bureau
A couple of
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Mostly sunny
55° 37°
60° 36°
Partly sunny and
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Increasing clouds
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PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
65° 42°
49° 32°
72° 31°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
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OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
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PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yest.
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Olympia
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Kennewick Walla Walla
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Lewiston
53/37
63/37
Astoria
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Pullman
Yakima 63/33
53/34
51/36
Portland
Hermiston
54/39
The Dalles 62/39
Salem
Corvallis
51/34
Yesterday
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La Grande
45/30
PRECIPITATION
John Day
Eugene
Bend
51/35
47/25
44/29
Ontario
56/35
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42°
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Albany
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0.09"
0.71"
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through 3 p.m. yest.
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Pendleton 42/29
52/35
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
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HERMISTON
Enterprise
55/37
56/39
52°
34°
57°
37°
76° (1939) 18° (1965)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
53/36
Aberdeen
49/31
58/36
Tacoma
Yesterday
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Records
Spokane
Wenatchee
52/41
Today
Boardman
Pendleton
Medford
52/35
Fri.
WSW 6-12
W 7-14
SW 8-16
WSW 7-14
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
43/21
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021
Sunrise today
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Apr 11
Apr 19
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
masks, were not changed.
The state’s largest district,
Portland Public Schools, will
maintain 6 feet of distancing
as they reopen after spring
break, said district spokes-
woman Karen Werstein. The
district struck a deal with the
teacher’s union based on that
figure and reducing it would
require another round of
negotiations.
The ODE announce-
ment reads, “These changes
may take place over the next
several weeks in some of
our schools as every school
district will need time to
plan and adjust to these new
requirements.”
Indirectly acknowledg-
ing the fast pace of changes
districts have been facing,
state Education Depart-
ment Director Colt Gill
said, “This shift will take
time to digest, partner with
staff, and integrate in many
schools and districts. I know
our educators have spent
countless hours over the last
year stretching to implement
different learning models and
safety protocols.”
IN BRIEF
First
NATIONAL EXTREMES
Mar 28
SA LEM — I n yet
another about face, the state
announced Monday, March
22, that it would drastically
reduce the amount of spac-
ing required for students
going back to school, to align
with new guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
Oregon schools are now
allowed, on a voluntary basis,
to provide 3 feet of physical
distancing between students
“under certain conditions.”
Just a week ago, on
Monday, March 15, the
state announced the safety
rules for reopening would
be relaxed, but left the 6
feet of spacing requirement
unchanged.
School districts have
been struggling with plan-
ning for returning students to
schools amid rapidly chang-
ing mandates and guidelines
from the state. Some have
struck deals with staff unions
based on earlier guidelines
and would have to reopen
union negotiations if the
district wants to reduce the
spacing requirement.
The 6 feet of distance and
35 square feet per person that
had been required meant that
only about half of a student
body could fit in a school at
once when they reopened.
Schools announced arrange-
ments for students to be in
buildings in shifts in a model
called hybrid education.
Students would continue
remote learning when they
were not in school buildings.
But the Oregon Depart-
ment of Education said the
new distancing guidelines
announced March 22 are
voluntary.
“This new physical
distancing allowance is a
local decision. Schools may
maintain 6 feet and, under
certain conditions, must
maintain 6 feet — such as
when students from different
classrooms are passing in
hallways between periods,
or when students are eating,”
the announcement reads.
Other pandemic safety
precautions, such as wearing
6:49 a.m.
7:14 p.m.
3:34 p.m.
5:45 a.m.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 97° in Zapata, Texas Low -9° in Yellowstone N.P., Wyo.
landscape. He called hand-
ing over the decision to Inslee
“tragic.”
“When so many of my
constituents say they oppose
something, I listen,” he said.
“Now it’s a decision that will
be shoved down the local
area’s throat.”
Though called Horse
Heaven Wind Farm, the proj-
ect may generate more solar
power than wind power.
The turbines and panels
could generate up to 1,150
megawatts, according to the
company. The state’s only
nuclear power plant generates
1,207 megawatts.
On average, the project
would provide enough elec-
tricity for 275,000 houses,
according to the company, and
cattle and sheep could graze
near the turbines and up to the
fences around the solar panels.
“We call it a drought-proof
crop,” Scout Energy commu-
nity outreach manager Javon
Smith said. “Wind farms
coexist well with farmland.”
The energy council will
hold via Skype two public
hearings back-to-back on
Tuesday, March 30.
The first hearing will be
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and include
presentations about the project
and a chance for the public to
comment.
The second hearing will be
7:30 to 9 p.m. on whether the
solar and wind farm is consis-
tent with local land-use laws.
The land is designated for
agriculture, but officials can
approve other uses.
More information on sign-
ing up to testify and watch-
ing the hearings is available
at efsec.wa.gov. Written
comments may be emailed to
efsec@utc.wa.gov.
Oregon governor
announces 10-Point
Economic Recovery Plan
PORTLAND — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
announced a 10-Point Economic Recovery
Plan on Tuesday, March 23, that aims to help
families and businesses across the state —
with a focus on people of color — impacted
financially by the pandemic and 2020 wild-
fires.
In addition, Brown said the state is slated
to receive $6.4 billion in funds from the
recently passed COVID-19 stimulus package,
which she said should be invested in a way
that “maximizes economic recovery efforts
for Oregonians this year, while also address-
ing the existing disparities that were exacer-
bated by the pandemic.”
Oregon had among the strictest COVID-19
restrictions and safety measures in the United
States, with the state shutting down in March
2020 and businesses — restaurants, gyms
and indoor entertainment venues — again
forced to close their doors in November 2020
for weeks and in some counties months.
Since the start of the pandemic, Oregon
has paid around $8 billion in jobless benefits.
Between March and July 2020 alone, more
than 500,000 people filed unemployment
claims in the state, causing major delays in
people receiving funds.
In the midst of the pandemic, Oregon faced
another devastating challenge — wildfires.
During the wildfires that burned more than
1 million acres, at least 4,000 homes were
destroyed and some people are still displaced.
“My 10-Point Plan provides a roadmap for
economic recovery, and will guide our state
and local governments as we invest our shares
of federal dollars from the American Rescue
Plan,” Brown said.
— Associated Press
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