LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

BLM OKs engineering for proposed transmission line for southeastern Oregon wind project 

Credit:  By Richard Cockle, The Oregonian | www.oregonlive.com 24 May 2012 ~~

BURNS – The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has given the go-ahead for engineering and other surveys along a proposed electrical transmission line route that one day could serve a $300 million wind energy project on picturesque Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon.

But before the BLM construction approval is awarded, the 44-mile-long North Steens Transmission Line has a major hurdle, a court challenge filed April 5 by the Portland Audubon Society and Oregon Natural Desert Association.

The two environmental organizations dislike the aesthetics of placing 40 to 60 huge, rolled-steel wind turbines on the north end of the 9,733-foot fault-block of Steens Mountain. And they say the 415-foot turbines, access roads and associated development would threaten migratory routes and breeding areas for Bighorn sheep, golden eagles and sage-grouse.

Advocates say the project would bring 100 construction jobs and 12 permanent jobs to Harney County and wouldn’t be visible from many areas on and around the mountain. Harney County earlier approved the wind project.

The BLM’s latest action allows engineering and cultural resource surveys and biological assessments, but not groundbreaking or construction.

The transmission line would link the proposed Echanis Wind Energy Project with an existing transmission line owned by Harney Electric Cooperative north of Steens Mountain. It would cross private land and 12 miles of BLM land.

The wind project and transmission line are proposed by Columbia Energy Partners LLC of Vancouver and its affiliate, Echanis LLC. Echanis is one of two wind energy projects proposed on or near the mountain south of Burns. They would generate 104 megawatts each, enough to power about 30,000 homes per project.

Source:  By Richard Cockle, The Oregonian | www.oregonlive.com 24 May 2012

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon