SIX- Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon July 24, 2024
Final Order: Following the Contested Case
proceeding, EFSC will issue a Final Order either
approving or rejecting the ASC. If approved, a Site
Certificate will also be issued.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Sunstone Solar Project
Public Hearing and Request for Comments on the Draft Proposed Order
Summary:
Notice Date: July 24, 2024
Proposal: 1,200 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic
power generation facility and related or supporting
facilities that would permanently occupy up to
approximately 9,442 acres (14.75 sq. miles).
Proposed Facility Location: Morrow County,
approximately 15 miles northeast of Lexington,
Oregon.
Draft Proposed Order: The Draft Proposed Order
(DPO), in which Oregon Department of Energy Staff
(ODOE) recommends the Application for Site
Certificate (ASC) meets all required standards and
should be approved by the Energy Facility Siting
Council (EFSC or Council), was issued on July 12,
2024.
Public Comment Period: A 42-day comment period
from July 12, 2024 through the close of the Public
Hearing on August 22, 2024 is open. The public may
comment on the ASC, DPO, and DPO Attachments
including the proposed site certificate conditions in
the draft site certificate.
In Person & Remote Public Hearing Information:
Date:
August 22, 2024
Start Time: 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Location:
Maxwell Event Center
145 N First Place Hermiston, OR 97838
You may also participate in the public hearing via
Webinar or Teleconference Information:
Webinar Link:
https://odoe.webex.com/odoe/j.php?MTID=m2ad8b
d61fc874b61d6f3ccd0d0da5f65
Webinar Event Number: 2333 011 8388
Webinar Event Password: EFSC (3372 from phones
and video systems)
Teleconference #: 408-418-9388
Teleconference Access Code: 2333 011 8388
If using Webex, please use your full name to sign in
to help staff manage public comments. Additional
information will be provided at the hearing about
how to provide an oral comment using Webex
features.
Description of Proposed Facility:
The Sunstone Solar Project (proposed facility;
formerly Echo Solar Project), is proposed by
Sunstone Solar, LLC (applicant), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Pine Gate Renewables, LLC. While the
proposed site boundary is 10,960-acre (17-sq. mile),
the facility would permanently occupy approximately
9,442 acres (14.75 sq. miles) of private land. In
addition, the facility would include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Up to 7,200 MW hours of battery storage
capacity;
An interconnection substation;
Up to six collector substations;
Up to four operations and maintenance
buildings;
Up to 9.5 miles of 230-kilovolt (kV) overhead
transmission lines;
Other structures including roads, perimeter
fencing and gates.
More detailed information about the proposed
energy facility and the related or supporting facilities
is available in ASC Exhibit B and the DPO Project
Description.
Location of Proposed Facility:
The proposed facility would be located on privately
owned land zoned for Exclusive Farm Use in Morrow
County, Oregon.
The proposed facility would have solar photovoltaic
energy generation components located on more
than 1,280 acres of land that is predominately
cultivated, and therefore is an energy facility subject
to EFSC jurisdiction under the definition in ORS
469.300(11)(a)(D). As such, the proposed facility
must receive approval from EFSC for a site certificate
prior to construction.
Sunstone Solar Project Process Overview:
Application for Site Certificate: The applicant filed a
complete ASC on May 16, 2024. Under OAR 345-015-
0190(5), an ASC is complete when the Department
finds that an applicant has submitted information
adequate for the Council to make findings or impose
conditions on all applicable Council standards. The
Department held a Public Informational Meeting on
the proposed facility on June 5, 2024. The ASC and
the Public Information Meeting presentation and
recording are located on the project page as
described in the Additional Information section
below and are available for review.
Draft Proposed Order Issuance: On July 12, 2024,
ODOE issued a DPO on the ASC. The DPO, ODOE’s
first evaluation of the proposed facility which
includes findings of facts, conclusions of law and
conditions, recommends EFSC approve the ASC and
issue a site certificate. The DPO is not a Final Order.
The purpose of this DPO notice is to inform the
public of an open comment period and a public
hearing, with opportunities for in-person and remote
participation.
Public Hearing: EFSC will hold a public hearing on the
DPO on August 22, 2024 which will provide
opportunities for in person and remote participation.
See in person meeting details and Webex login
information on Page 1 of this notice for more details.
The hearings will be conducted by EFSC.
EFSC will not accept or consider any further public
comments on the ASC or on the DPO after the close
of the Public Hearing on August 22, 2024, which
represents the close of the record on the DPO for the
proposed facility, unless the comment deadline is
extended.
Online Comment Portal
ODOE has an online portal for submitting comments
on projects during an active comment period. The
goal of the online comment portal is to provide
members of the public with a convenient option to
submit input on projects, and to provide additional
resources that will enable meaningful participation in
the Site Certificate Application process. The portal
can be accessed via the link below:
https://odoe.powerappsportals.us/SitingPublicCom
ment/
To get started, choose the Sunstone Solar Project
from the drop-down menu. Click “Next” and follow
the instructions on screen. You will receive an email
confirmation after submitting your comment.
ODOE also has a docket system available which
displays comments that have been submitted.
Comments for this project will be posted to the
docket and will normally be available to view within
3 business days of receipt. The docket can be
accessed via the following link:
https://odoe.powerappsportals.us/en-
US/sitingdocket/
Please note:
All comments submitted to ODOE may be disclosed
to the public, subject to Oregon Public Records Laws
(ORS Chapter 192). Public comments may be
available on the ODOE webpage for the Wagon Trail
Solar Project as an attachment to the Proposed
Order, to be issued at a later date.
Comment submission does not register your contact
information to receive future electronic notices. If
you would like to receive notices for this proposed
facility or any other EFSC facility, and have not
already done so, please follow the information in this
notice to subscribe to the ClickDimensions email
notification list as described below.
1) Oregon Department of Energy’s webpage:
The ASC, DPO and additional details regarding the
proposed facility may be found at:
https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/Pages/ESP.aspx to review and access
free of charge.
Additional resources to help you participate in the
state siting process can be found at:
http://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/pages/default.aspx
https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/Pages/Fact-Sheets.aspx
3) In hardcopy:
Hard copies of the ASC and DPO are available for
public inspection at the following locations at no
cost:
Oregon Department of Energy
550 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
Please contact Christopher Clark to arrange viewing
of hard copies of the ASC and DPO; hard copies will
be provided at reasonable cost upon request to
ODOE.
Accessibility information:
ODOE is committed to accommodating people with
disabilities. For the review of the ASC or attendance
at the information meeting, if you require any special
physical or language accommodations, or need
information in an alternate format, please contact
Nancy Hatch at 503-428-7905, toll-free in Oregon at
800-221-8035, or email to
nancy.hatch@energy.oregon.gov. For any other
accommodation needed to attend the public hearing,
please contact ODOE as soon as possible so we may
provide the accommodation.
Figure 1: Facility Location and Proposed Site Boundary
Page 1
During the hearing there will first be a brief overview
by ODOE on the siting process and proposed facility,
followed by an overview of the hearing format
provided by the presiding officer and followed by an
opportunity to provide oral comments on the ASC
and the DPO. The duration of the time for individual
commenters will be 7 minutes, but that may be
lengthened or shortened based on the number of
people who comment.
To raise an issue on the record of the DPO public
hearing, a person must raise an issue either in person
at the public hearing, or in a written comment
submitted after the date of this notice and received
by ODOE before the record closes at the close of the
Public Hearing on August 22, 2024, unless extended
by Council.
A person’s failure to raise an issue in person or in
writing prior to the close of the record, with
sufficient specificity to afford the decision maker an
opportunity to respond to the issue, will preclude
consideration of the issue, by the Council or by a
court on judicial review of the Council’s decision.
Failure to raise an issue in person or in writing prior
to the close of the record of the public hearing with
sufficient specificity to afford the decision maker
(Council), the Department and the certificate holder
an opportunity to respond to the issue precludes the
Council from considering whether that issue justifies
a contested case proceeding. To raise an issue with
sufficient specificity, a person must present facts that
support the person’s position on the issue.
Written or oral comments may be hand-delivered,
submitted verbally via Webinar/teleconference or in-
person at the public hearing, or via electronic
methods previously described.
In order to be included on the record of the public
hearing written comments must be received by the
close of the Public Hearing on August 22, 2024 (the
comment deadline), unless otherwise extended by
Council, submitted at the hearing, through the public
comment portal described below or by mail, email or
fax to the presiding officer/hearing officer, in care of:
Christopher Clark, Senior Siting Analyst
Oregon Department of Energy
550 Capital Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
PUBLIC NOTICE: Public Hearing and Comment Period on the Draft Proposed Order for Sunstone Solar Project | July 24, 2024
Phone: (503) 871-7254
Fax: 503-373-7806
Email: Christopher.clark@energy.oregon.gov
Additional Information:
Additional information about the proposed facility
and updates on the review process is available using
any of the following options.
To receive notices by U.S. Mail, please contact
Christopher Clark (see contact information provided
above).
Maps of the proposed facility and site boundary and
proposed layout are included at the end of this
notice. Specific locational maps can be found in ASC
Exhibit C at:
https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/Pages/ESP.aspx and on ODOE’s
online mapping tool at:
https://tools.oregonexplorer.info/OE_HtmlViewer/in
dex.html?viewer=renewable&efsc=Echo%20Solar%2
0Project
PUBLIC NOTICE: Hearing and Comment Period on the Draft Proposed Order for Sunstone Solar Project | July 24, 2024
EFSC Review Process Overview:
The site certificate process is a consolidated,
comprehensive siting process. The applicant must
demonstrate that the proposed facility meets EFSC
standards established under Oregon Revised Statute
(ORS) 469.501 and set forth in Oregon Administrative
Rule (OAR) Chapters 345, Divisions 22 and 24, as well
as all other applicable Oregon statutes, rules and
standards, which constitutes EFSC’s scope of review.
ODOE serves as staff to EFSC and conducts the
application review process.
Receipt of this Notice:
Please note that you may be receiving this notice for
multiple reasons:
1. You own property within or adjacent to (within
500 feet) the property boundary on which the
proposed facility would be located. You will
automatically receive all future EFSC notices for
this proposed facility.
2. You have previously signed up via
ClickDimensions to receive email notices related
to the Sunstone Solar Project or all EFSC project-
related notices. You will automatically receive all
future email notices per your request, unless you
unsubscribe via ClickDimensions or by contacting
ODOE.
2) Updates by email/mail:
Subscribe to ClickDimensions, a self-managed,
automated email system that sends notices and
updates on the Sunstone Solar Project as well as any
or all other energy facilities and events under EFSC
jurisdiction. For more information, please visit:
https://tinyurl.com/ODOE-EFSC.
Page 2
Council Review of the Draft Proposed Order:
Following the close of the record of the public
hearing on the DPO, and during a Council meeting,
EFSC will review the DPO, comments received on the
record of the DPO and provide any comments they
have to ODOE.
Proposed Order: ODOE will evaluate the comments
received on the record of the DPO as well as those by
EFSC, and make any necessary changes to findings of
fact, conclusions of law and conditions. These will be
reflected in the Proposed Order, ODOE’s second
evaluation of the proposed facility.
Contested Case: Along with the issuance of the
Proposed Order, ODOE will issue a notice of
Contested Case. To be eligible to participate in a
Contested Case proceeding, a person must raise an
issue either in person at the public hearing or in a
written comment submitted between July 12, 2024
and the close of the Public Hearing on August 22,
2024 the date the record closes, unless extended.
Even if a person commented before the close of the
Public Hearing on August 22, 2024, that person must
raise an issue(s), either via oral comment at the
public hearing or in writing during the comment
period to be eligible to participate in the Contested
Case.
Failure to raise an issue in person or in writing prior
to the close of the record of the public hearing with
sufficient specificity to afford the decision maker
(EFSC), an opportunity to respond to the issue
precludes consideration of the issue in a contested
case. To raise an issue with sufficient specificity, a
person must present facts that support the person’s
position on the issue. See OAR 345-015-0016(3).
The Siting Division Public Guide contains information
on the EFSC process, including the contested case
process.
To view this information on ODOE’s website, please
use the following link:
https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/Documents/Fact-Sheets/EFSC-Public-
Guide.pdf
For more information relating to EFSC standards,
please visit:
http://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-
safety/facilities/Pages/Siting-Standards.aspx
Published July 24, 2024 affid 1c
Sheriff’s Report
MCSO March 8, 2024
Unauthorized Entry MV
Occurred at Love's
Travel Stop And Coun-
try Store on Tower Rd, in
Boardman, OR. RP ad-
vised a 2017 Nissan Alti-
ma was broken into and
some items were stolen
out of it. It is parked next
to the Carl's Jr drive-th-
ru. **MCSO responded,
report taken. Disposi-
tion:REPORT TAKEN
Driving Complaint
Occurred on W High-
way 730, in Irrigon, OR.
Smaller gold sedan failed
to maintain lane, swerv-
ing all over the roadway.
RP believes they may be
intoxicated. **Completed.
Disposition: COMPLET-
ED.
March 9, 2024
Area Check
Officer initiated activi-
ty at Frederickson Farms,
Paterson Ferry Rd, Ir-
rigon, OR. Completed
area check of Fredrick-
son Farms. Disposition:
COMPLETED.
Area Check
Officer initiated activity
at High Banks, Paterson
Ferry Rd/Riverview Ln,
Irrigon, OR. Area check
of High Banks completed.
Disposition: COMPLET-
ED.
Juvenile Complaint
Occurred at Love's
Travel Stop And Coun-
try Store on Tower Rd,
in Boardman, OR. RP
advised that there is a fe-
male and male child in the
front of Love's, about 6 to
7 years old, wearing dark
clothing. RP stated that
the children were request-
ing a ride to their parent's
house. RP is concerned
but is no longer on scene.
MCSO and BPD respond-
ed, complete/OHS is han-
dling the call. Disposition:
COMPLETED.
Driving Complaint
Occurred on Se
Utah Ave, in Irrigon,
OR. RP advised that he is
still being harassed by the
same person that has been
harassing him for 10 years.
RP states that there is a tire
mark that begins from his
residence all the way to
Tenth St. RP is very irate.
He is requesting contact
from a deputy when avail-
able. MCSO advised. Dis-
position: COMPLETED.
Warrant Arrest
Occurred at Morrow
County Sheriffs Office on
W Willow View Dr, in
Heppner, OR. Pendleton
PD out with subj. Subject
was arrested by Pendle-
ton PD on MCCC warrant
19CR00138 PY/Criminal
Mischief II. Subject lodged
at UCJ with NO BAIL.
Disposition:
REPORT
TAKEN.
Noise Complaint
Occurred on Se Utah
Ave, in Irrigon, OR. RP
advised he can hear mu-
sic coming from the area
of Division/Seventh. RP
states it's well over 150ft
away. MCSO advised. Dis-
position: ADVISED.
Driving Complaint
Occurred on Se Utah
Ave, in Irrigon, OR. White
Nissan Frontier speed-
ing through the area and
causing rivets in the road.
MCSO checked the area,
UTL. Disposition: UN-
ABLE TO LOCATE.
Extra Patrol
Occurred on Division
Rd, in Irrigon, OR. Extra
patrols for thefts and sus-
picious activities in the
afternoon and through-
out the night. Disposition:
COMPLETED.
Juvenile Complaint
Occurred at Irrigon Skate
Park on Ne Main Ave, in
Irrigon, OR. EMS respond
to 145 SE Ninth to check
out juvenile per parent's
request. RP advised his
son told him that there was
another male that pushed
-Continued to PAGE EIGHT
INOGEN ®
PORTABLE OXYGEN
CONCENTRATORS
Call us toll-free at
1-855-839-0752
1
30-day risk-free trial- Return within 30 days of purchase
for a full refund of purchase price.
PM230469 EN_EX_USA | Rx Only. © 2024 Inogen, Inc.
859 Ward Drive, Suite 200, Goleta, CA 93111
Inogen® is a trademark of Inogen, Inc. The usage of any Inogen, Inc. trademark is
strictly forbidden without the prior consent of Inogen, Inc. All other trademarks
are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.
Be prepared before the next power outage.
Receive a free 5-year warranty
with qualifying purchase*
- valued at $535.
Call 877-557-1912
to schedule your free quote!
YOUR BATHROOM. YOUR WAY.
IN AS LITTLE AS
ONE DAY
SPECIAL OFFER
Waiving All
Installation
Costs
CALL NOW
855.341.5268
Add’l terms apply. Offer subject to change
and vary by dealer. Expires 8/25/2024.