More than 100 wind turbines may be eliminated from the proposed Horse Heaven wind and solar project in southeast Washington to lessen damage to hawks, scenic views and tribal cultural resources.

Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council chairwoman Kathleen Drew on Wednesday suggested deleting some turbines before recommending the massive renewable energy project to Gov. Jay Inslee.

The remaining turbines would be farther from hawk nests and less visible from the Tri-Cities, she said. Eliminating turbines also would reduce infringing on tribal interests and free up air space to attack fires, she said.

‘Middle ground’

EFSEC made no decision, but appeared to embrace Drew’s suggestion. Council member Lenny Young of the Department of Natural Resources said he didn’t favor approving the project as proposed by Scout Clean Energy.

“And I don’t think we’re at an absolute, ‘No, there’s no part of this that could ever be done,’” he said. “We’re in that middle ground.”

Scout, based in Boulder, Colo., and owned by Brookfield Renewable, a Canadian company, has proposed erecting up to 231 turbines. It’s also presented the option to put up 147 taller turbines with more generating capacity.

Although originally labeled a wind project by Scout, more than two-thirds of the development’s power capacity would be from solar panels, rather than windmills, according to Scout’s application.

The citizens group Tri-Cities CARES opposes the project because the turbines would dominate the rolling Horse Heaven Hills. The group’s attorney, Richard Aramburu, said fewer turbines would be a good step.

“We’re still digesting what happened” at the meeting, he said. “It certainly is substantial progress for us. We want to see in more detail where the (deleted) turbines are.

“Even with the turbines taken out, they have a nice, big project out there,” Aramburu said. “They don’t have a lot of room to complain.”

Scout did not respond to a request to comment.

Besides Tri-Cities CARES, Benton County and the Yakama Nation formally opposed the project at hearings in August. EFSEC is due to make a recommendation to Inslee by the end of January.

Project proposed in 2021

Scout proposed the project in 2021, saying it would help Washington achieve the state’s clean-energy mandates. Besides turbines, the project calls for occupying up to 5,447 acres with solar panels.

The turbines and solar panels could generate up to 1,150 megawatts, but the actual energy output would be limited by the weather and the Bonneville Power Administration’s ability to take the power.

The controversial four Lower Snake River dams have a total capacity of almost 3,500 megawatts and can be counted on to provide 2,300 carbon-free megawatts when needed, according to a BPA-commissioned study.

Under Scout’s 147-turbine option, blade tips could reach 657 feet into the air. The Space Needle in Seattle stands 605 feet. The turbines would prevent aircraft from attacking fires on the ridge near the Tri-Cities.

“The density and spacing of the towers would essentially create a no-fly zone over the entire project area,” according to a letter to EFSEC from the Department of Natural Resources.

The county argues such a large wind and solar project does not belong on land zoned for agriculture. A wheat farmer has said lease payments will help agriculture survive by diversifying and stabilizing farm incomes.