The proposed Horse Heaven wind and solar project in southeast Washington would dominate views, imperil hang gliders and infringe on a tribe’s culture, according to a final environmental report released Oct. 31.

Scout Clean Energy proposes to install up to 231 turbines and more than 5,000 acres of solar panels on farmland near the Tri-Cities in Benton County, creating the state’s largest renewable energy installation.

Although Scout has slightly reduced the size of the project, the development still would have significant impacts, according to the report prepared for the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.

Governor has final say

EFSEC will review the report before forwarding a recommendation to Gov. Jay Inslee, who will have the final say in approving or denying the project.

“We look forward to working through the final stages of the permit process,” Scout senior project manager Dave Kobus said in a statement.

Scout, based in Boulder, Colo., is owned by Brookfield Renewable based in Toronto.

The Yakama Nation, Benton County commissioners and a citizens group, Tri-Cities C.A.R.E.S., have led opposition to Scout’s proposal. EFSEC held eight days of hearings in August to hear their objections.

Much of the opposition stemmed from the size of the project. Turbines would stretch for 25 miles, roughly the distance from Tacoma to Olympia. “Turbines would dominate the existing landscape and viewshed,” according to the environmental report.

To reduce impacts to tribal cultural sites, ferruginous hawks and views, Scout subtracted 22 turbines and 1,100 acres of solar panels from the plan. It was impossible to eliminate all impacts, the company said.

“Projects aimed at meaningfully mitigating climate change cannot be hidden from public view,” Scout stated in a post-hearing brief summarizing its position.

Scout said the project would implement the state’s climate polices. It introduced its brief by quoting Inslee as saying, “I’ve dedicated my life in public service to defeating climate change.”

Yakama Nation criticism

The Yakama Nation said it supported wind and solar power, but called the Horse Heaven project a “shining example of how not to develop renewable energy.”

The tribe said the project would destroy or block spiritual sites and places tribal members gather food and medicines. The tribe has supplied EFSEC with a map of cultural sites. The map will not be made public.

The environmental report suggested Scout help the tribe perpetuate its oral history and legends with programs “off-site.” Ceremonies can’t be duplicated anywhere else, according to the tribe.

The report also suggested Scout mitigate impacts to views by installing color photographs at scenic viewpoints picturing the landscape before the windmills and solar panels were there.

Ferruginous hawks could lose habitat and be killed by rotating blades, according to the report, which proposed no turbine be placed within 2 miles of hawk nests.

Benton County argued the huge installation of turbines and solar panels did not belong on land zoned for agriculture. A wheat farmer testified at a hearing that lease payments would encourage farmers to stay in farming and resist the temptation to sell land to developers.