wiredInUSA May 2017

Development ended by conservation concerns

Image By Pacific Southwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

After a period of litigation a federal court has halted a wind energy project in southeast Oregon following concerns about the area’s declining sage grouse population. The project proposal was for development on 10,500 acres of private land in Harney County near Steens Mountain, calling for 40 to 69 wind turbines and a 230kV transmission line to bring the energy to the electrical grid. The US bureau of land management approved the project, and Harney County granted a key permit, but environmental groups, including the Oregon Natural Desert Association and the Audubon society of Portland, challenged the BLM’s environmental review. The environmental review was needed because the transmission line’s

right of way would cross public lands. After an appeal court ruling last year, siding with opponents of the scheme, the federal court has withdrawn approval of the development. Greater sage grouse need sagebrush all year round for mating, nesting and rearing their broods, and for food through the winter. Loss of sagebrush habitat has contributed to the decline of the sage grouse population in Oregon. Bob Sallinger, conservation director of the Audubon Society of Portland, responded: “Steens Mountain never should have been considered for industrial wind development. We strongly support the transition to renewable energy sources, but it needs to be done in a responsible manner.”

wiredInUSA - May 2017

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