ELLENSBURG, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Horizon Wind Energy, one of the nation’s leading wind power developers, saluted the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) for the agency’s announcement Tuesday evening that it will recommend that Governor Christine Gregoire approve Horizon’s proposed Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project (KVWPP) northwest of this small Central Washington city. EFSEC, Washington State’s “one stop” permit review authority for utility-scale power plants concluded its exhaustive review of the proposed 65-turbine wind farm with a 6-1 vote in support of Horizon’s application. The lone dissenting vote came from Kittitas County’s representative who also opposed EFSEC’s recommendation to override the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners’ objections to KVWPP. Chris Taylor, Horizon’s Northwest Development Director said, “We’re gratified by the Council's validation of our belief that the Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project, particularly with passage of I-937, is important to the State of Washington.” Initiative 937, which Evergreen State voters passed last November, requires that by 2020, 15% of the state’s electricity be supplied by new renewable energy sources. EFSEC reviewed well over a dozen independent studies of the Project site some of which were begun five years ago. The Council concluded that the KVWPP would create no significant negative environmental impacts. Horizon, in an unsuccessful effort to earn County government approval, downsized the original wind farm design it first announced in April 2002. Regional environmental groups including the Cascade Chapter of Sierra Club, the Renewable Northwest Project, and the Northwest Energy Coalition, joined Kittitas County renewable energy advocates in actively supporting the proposed wind farm. The Economic Development Group of Kittitas County also supported the proposed project citing the new family wage jobs that KVWPP would create and its annual infusion of $1.5 million in new property taxes. “The dedication of our supporters was a constant source of encouragement,” said Taylor. “While EFSEC based its decision exclusively on the merits of our case, it helped immensely to know the breadth and depth of public support both in Kittitas County and beyond.” EFSEC now forwards its recommendation to Washington’s Governor Christine Gregoire who must choose to approve, deny or remand EFSEC’s recommendation. About Horizon Wind Horizon Wind Energy develops, constructs, owns, and operates wind farms throughout the United States. Horizon-developed wind farms operate in Washington, New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma, and the company has projects under construction in Oregon, Texas and Illinois. Horizon expects to have more than 1300 MW of wind projects in operation by the end of 2007.
