Wind turbines in Eastern Oregon. Photo by John Womack.
When it comes to building wind farms in Oregon, the size of the project really does matter.
Small wind farms, those producing 104 megawatts or less, go before county governments for approval. Larger wind farms require state permission. The process is very different, depending on which government makes the decision. The state process involves consulting with ODFW on impacts to wildlife and is more expensive.
So what’s to stop a wind developer from taking a big wind farm and breaking it up into smaller projects to avoid state regulations?
Not much according to some environmental groups.
