Grizzly bears will roam the North Cascades region for the first time in 27 years under a restoration process conducted by the National Park Service and U.S. 'By partially approving the Horse Heaven wind and solar project, EFSEC is balancing the need for renewable, clean energy with potential impacts on tribal cultural resources, wildlife and surrounding communities,” said the council’s chairwoman Kathleen Drew at Wednesday’s meeting. The wind farm has drawn strong opposition from numerous Tri-Citians because the original plan for the turbines would disrupt a currently pristine view of the hills from the urban area, and could disturb the ferruginous hawk nests. EFSEC ordered that the eastern solar farm be removed because of its proximity to sensitive Native cultural sites.

Scout Clean Energy’s original proposal also included two 500-megawatt solar panel farms on the east and west sides of the 24-mile stretch. The company said the changes trim the projected 1,150 megawatts of wind power to 236 megawatts. The buffer zone cuts Scout Clean Energy’s number of turbines by roughly half, though the precise number won’t be available until the company maps out a new plan. However, the state council decided in February to implement two-mile buffer zones around 60 to 70 ferruginous hawk nests in that area and remove turbines along the north slopes of the hills. Scout Clean Energy of Boulder, Colorado, originally made plans for a maximum of 141 or 222 wind turbines – depending on approved height – along a 24-mile east/west stretch of the Horse Heaven Hills just south of Kennewick. EFSEC is a committee of representatives from several Washington state agencies. Inslee now has 60 days to make his decision.

The original project had faced criticism for threatening endangered ferruginous hawks and ruining views. Jay Inslee approve the Horse Heaven Hills turbine project. The Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council voted 5-2 to recommend that Gov. A Washington commission recommended approval Wednesday of a slimmed-down wind turbine project just south of the Tri-Cities.

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