IDAHO, USA — A large-scale wind power project near Twin Falls continues to draw controversy. Friday afternoon, dozens of Idahoans brought their concerns about Lava Ridge to the Idaho Statehouse steps.
Magic Valley Energy hopes to build up to 400 wind turbines on federal, state and private land northeast of Twin Falls. The company, a subsidy of LS Power in New York, proposed the project in 2020.
"It's going to affect everybody," Shawna McKay said, "not just us in the Magic Valley. I hope that we can find people to stick with this and try to fight this so it does not happen in Idaho."
McKay and her husband farm their land, where their cattle graze. She said the windmills would be in their "backyard" and is worried about the land being destroyed.
"If you get those wind turbines going, it's going to affect the weather," she said. "It's going to affect the wind, the soil, in my opinion ... it's going to dry out. So, the feed is going to be diminished anyway."
She worries about nearby aquifers and property values taking a hit, too. Others are concerned about wildlife.
"It's going to kill raptors," Gar Lorain said.
Adrian Gallo, Idaho Conservation League climate program manager, agrees some birds will die but said the project has a lot of pros. He also said it would help ensure more energy from the Gem State stays here.
"If we don't stop emitting dirty fossil fuels, there will be 1,000s of species that go extinct," he said. "So, these are not easy answers; we have trade-offs ... and this is a trade-off that we have to consider."
The company declined an interview but said in a statement, "Magic Valley Energy has incorporated meaningful changes to the project over the past four years in response to input from local stakeholders. Our goal is to help meet America's rising energy demands while working closely with our local communities."
Those changes include keeping turbines 1,000 feet away from irrigation canals to better protect bats and birds and using an "aircraft detection lighting" system to keep the turbines off at night.
Idaho's Bureau of Land Management has the final say. Staff are finishing up the final environmental impact statement, which will outline concerns submitted during last year's public comment period. A BLM spokesperson said they plan on releasing it later this spring.
The BLM will announce its decision about whether the project is approved a couple of months later. After that, there is a period for appeals.
Idaho Sen. Jim Risch has been very vocal about why he does not support the project, and KTVB previously talked to community members who worry it will desecrate the Minidoka National Historic Site.
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