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FSEC approves revised Site Certification Agreement for Horse Heaven Wind Farm after 4–3 vote; staff flags Goldwell water-rights transfer
Summary
The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council voted 4–3 to approve a revised draft Site Certification Agreement for the Horse Heaven Wind Farm; staff notified the Council of an applicant water-rights transfer request to use Goldwell water and said it does not expect new environmental impacts but will add a transfer-specific analysis to the FEIS.
The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council voted 4–3 on Sept. 13 to approve a revised draft Site Certification Agreement (SCA) for the Horse Heaven Wind Farm and prepare it for transmittal to the governor.
Council Chair Kathleen Drew called the special meeting and, before council discussion, Executive Director Sonia Bumpus alerted members that the applicant had submitted a water-rights transfer request to the local water conservancy board seeking to use Goldwell’s water rights for construction and operation. Sean Green, FSEC staff, told the council the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) did not evaluate that discrete withdrawal but had evaluated the project’s use of a similar off‑site water source. "Staff does not anticipate any new or increased project environmental impacts as a result of the use of Goldwell's water rights," Green said, and added that staff would work with the Department of Ecology to include a transfer‑specific analysis in the FEIS as an addendum or supplemental.
After discussion, Stacy Brewster moved to approve the revised draft SCA and Elizabeth Osborne seconded. Miss Grantham called a roll‑call vote: Chair Drew — Aye; Elizabeth Osborne (Department of Commerce) — Aye; Eli Levitt (Department of Ecology) — Aye; Mike Livingston (Department of Fish and Wildlife) — Nay; Lenny Young (Department of Natural Resources) — Nay; Stacy Brewster (Utilities and Transportation Commission) — Aye; Benton County representative Ed Brost — Nay. The tally was four ayes and three nays, and the chair declared the motion carried.
Council members spoke after the vote. Lenny Young said he could not support the SCA because he believed the revision did not sufficiently reduce impacts to Yakima Nation traditional cultural properties and that land previously bounded out had been returned to play for potential turbines. Elizabeth Osborne said she had reviewed the record and, despite concerns about cultural properties, found the mitigation measures proposed by staff acceptable. Brewster noted that many public comments praised science‑based protections in the earlier SEA and that the revised SCA provides for targeted scientific evaluation, adaptive management and mitigation measures, including protections around hawk nests.
On procedural next steps, Chair Drew and counsel John Thompson said the council’s obligation is to provide the revised SCA to the governor; the chair will transmit the document with a cover letter explaining the changes. Staff will coordinate with Ecology to ensure any water‑rights transfer analysis is incorporated into the FEIS, and the SCA includes a condition requiring the applicant to provide certification of water availability to FSEC before construction.
The meeting adjourned following the discussion.
