BLM reduces proposed size of wind farm near Minidoka internment site

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) – The federal Bureau of Land Management’s preferred alternative to a proposed large wind farm in southern Idaho would reduce its size by nearly half and move it farther from a national historic site.

The proposed Lava Ridge wind farm has faced opposition from government leaders, local farmers and individuals who have said, among other things, that the project threatens the Minidoka National Historic Site, where Japanese Americans were held during World War II.

In its final environmental review released last week, the agency detailed its preferred alternative to the original plan. It would reduce the number of wind turbines from 400 to 241 and limit the maximum height of electricity-generating turbines to 201 meters, KTVB-TV reports.

The plan also places the closest turbine to the historic site at a distance of 9 miles (14 kilometers). The agency said adapting the corridor configuration is intended to help “preserve visitors’ experiences of the remote nature of the former prison site.”

Under the 2020 proposal, it would be built about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the historic site’s visitor center. The nonprofit Friends of the Minidoka is among the groups that fear the project could destroy the experience they want to preserve at the site.

Robyn Achilles, the organization’s executive director, said in a statement that much of the detailed historical research provided by the group to the Biden administration to enable it to better protect the historic site was omitted from the decision.

The Biden administration “needs to do a better job and really commit to protecting Minidoka and our heritage, otherwise we’ll be dealing with Lava Ridge and other projects forever,” Achilles said.

Idaho Republicans Rep. Mike Simpson and U.S. Sen. Jim Risch expressed their continued opposition to the bill on social media last week.

Risch said he would continue to fight the “unnecessary and ill-conceived project.”

As part of its response to climate change, the Biden administration has prioritized allowing renewable energy projects on public lands by 2025. Magic Valley Energy, a subsidiary of New York-based LS Power, has proposed the Lava Ridge energy project and said it would increase economic activity on this area, partly by creating jobs and increasing local government tax revenues.

Luke Papez, senior director of project development at LS Power, said in a statement that the agency’s new preferred alternative appears to strike an appropriate balance between protecting environmental resources and the need for additional domestic energy production.

The Bureau of Land Management released a draft environmental impact statement in early 2023 with two preferred alternatives. Officials said there were more than 11,000 public comments and 1,400 scoping comments during the 90-day comment period.

The preferred alternative included in the final environmental review reduces the “area disturbed” by almost 50%, from 8,395 acres to 4,492 acres (3,397 hectares to 1,817 hectares).

“The preferred alternative also reduces potential impacts to sage grouse, large wildlife migration routes and winter concentration areas, cultural resources, the Jerome County Airport and agricultural aviation, public farmers, and adjacent private landowners,” the BLM press release reads.

If the new preferred alternative is selected, the BLM estimates that construction of the project will generate $21.9 million in tax revenues annually and provide $138.9 million in total economic output.

The BLM said the preferred alternative was developed through collaboration with landowners, ranchers, tribal nations, elected federal, state and county leaders, organizations, the BLM Resource Advisory Council for the area and the National Park Service.

Without any changes, the Bureau of Land Management’s preferred option would have been finalized in July.