KENNEWICK, Wash.–A local non profit organization plans to sue Washington Governor Jay Inslee over his decision to place fewer restrictions on the Horse Heaven Wind Farm.
The non-profit, ‘Tri-Cities CARES,’ claims Inslee’s decision will put turbines two miles back from where they were originally going to be placed, said board member Paul Krupin.
By moving these windmills, Krupin said it would impact multiple people, including the Yakama Nation, who has resource sites and traditional properties where the turbines are located.
It would also impact over 100,000 people who live within six miles of the project boundaries, as well as over 60 endangered species with nesting sites in the area, he said.
Krupin hopes that by taking legal action, Tri-Cities CARES can help protect cultural resources and minimize impacts on city residents.
“We felt that that original recommendation was pretty close to what we could live with and was acceptable to the biologists, what’s acceptable to the tribes,” he said. “Right now with what the governor has directed, they’re reducing the mitigation.”
The legal process is triggered by three parties, Krupin said. In this case, these parties include Tri-Cities CARES, the Yakama Nation and Benton County, who have until December 2 to file their complaints to the Supreme Court.
Tri-City CARES has their complaint ready, but is waiting for the other two organizations to speak on their plans for the situation as well, he said.
Full coverage on the wind farm project can be found on nonstoplocal.com.
