1. Order detail

President Donald Trump suspended the planned Lava Ridge wind project in a Jan. 20 executive order that drew praise from Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo as well as Rep. Mike Simpson, all R-Idaho.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in a Dec. 5 record of decision approved Magic Valley Energy LLC’s plan to develop Lava Ridge about 25 miles northeast of Twin Falls.

Idaho’s legislature, governor, attorney general, congressional delegation and several local leaders in the state’s south-central region strongly opposed the project.

Impacts on former World War II internment camp Minidoka National Historic Site, livestock grazing, the aquifer, general and agricultural aviation, and community infrastructure were among reasons cited.

In light of criticism that BLM’s final environmental impact statement and record of decision is “allegedly contrary to the public interest and suffers from legal deficiencies,” the Interior secretary “shall, as appropriate, place a temporary moratorium on all activities and rights of Magic Valley Energy LLC, or any other party under the ROD including but not limited to any rights of way or rights of development or operation of any projects contemplated in the ROD,” according to the order.

The Interior secretary “shall review the ROD and, as appropriate, conduct a new, comprehensive analysis of the various interests implicated by the Lava Ridge wind project and the potential environmental impacts.”

The order goes beyond Lava Ridge. It suspends consideration of “any new or renewed wind energy leasing for the purposes of generation of electricity or any other such use derived from the use of wind.”

Also in south-central Idaho, Arevia Power has proposed the Taurus wind project, which would occupy 49,194 acres of BLM-managed land and generate up to 500 megawatts.

For Lava Ridge, Magic Valley Energy proposed up to 400 turbines as tall as 740 feet on about 84,000 acres. Initial plans called for a peak generating capacity of at least 1 gigawatt.

BLM in the record of decision reduced the area disturbed by half, reduced the number of turbines to 241 and limited turbine height to 660 feet. The agency moved the project farther from Minidoka and directed mitigation measures to protect cultural, natural and socioeconomic resources.

“Lava Ridge has been the embodiment of liberals’ disregard for the voices of Idahoans and rural America,” Risch, who partnered with the Trump administration in writing the order, said in a news release.

Calls from the state to reject the project “have been answered,” Risch said, and “finally, our nation has a leader who recognizes that people on the ground should have a say in how our natural resources are managed.”

The Biden administration and BLM “blatantly disregarded the voices of Idahoans, the Japanese American community, and the Magic Valley (region) community directly impacted by the out-of-touch Lava Ridge wind project,” Simpson said in a release. The project “is unwelcome and has zero place in our state.”

Trump through the order demonstrated his “commitment to listening to the valid concerns of Idahoans, Minidoka survivors and descendants, farmers, ranchers and sportsmen,” Crapo said in a release.

“It’s great to have the feds actually listen to Idaho citizens,” said state Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome.

BLM headquarters press secretary Brian Hires would not comment.

Magic Valley Energy officials could not be reached.

“Stopping this massive project is a clear victory for Idahoans who do not support using our backyard — complete with all the negative impacts to our farmers, ranchers, infrastructure and resources — to fulfill California’s energy agenda,” said Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke.