A group of tribal communities in Washington state is suing to stop a massive wind energy project, “alleging that the decision-making process sidestepped state law and failed to mitigate potential damage to the tribe’s treaty-protected natural and cultural resources.”
As Natalia Mesa explains in High Country News, the project, which includes three solar arrays and over 200 wind turbines, extends into Yakama ceremonial sites and historically and culturally important areas. “Development would also impact the natural habitat of pronghorn and ferruginous hawks, a threatened species featured prominently in Yakama Nation ceremonies.”
The proposal has gone through several iterations after the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) recommended that the developer downsize the project and take steps to mitigate any potential harms. “Tri-Cities C.A.R.E.S., a group of homeowners, and Benton County also filed lawsuits. The lawsuits are separate but similar, and they cite different concerns: Tri-Cities C.A.R.E.S. sued mainly to protect homeowners’ viewshed and property values, while Benton County contends that the project would significantly disrupt the area’s agricultural industry.”…