Among the flurry of executive orders from President Donald Trump this week was one targeting a massive wind energy project in Idaho. Some officials and activists are applauding the move.
The executive order directs the Secretary of the Interior to “place a temporary moratorium on all activities and rights of Magic Valley Energy.”. That’s the company that got the green light from Interior just last month to build the Lava Ridge Wind Project, which would feature 241 turbines up to 660 feet high in south central Idaho.
The project has faced substantial opposition, including from groups like Friends of Minidoka that are concerned about impacts to the Minidoka National Historic Site, where 13,000 Japanese-Americans were unjustly held during World War II. Ben Crouch – a member of the Jerome County Commissioners, which has opposed the project – said he was excited to hear about the order.
“Hopefully it'll take a big bite out of the process right now and hopefully stop it in its tracks,” he said.
A representative of Friends of Minidoka said the group is “pleased that the Department of Interior will put a hold on their decision.”
The move also got unanimous praise from Idaho’s all-Republican congressional delegation, including Republican Senator Jim Risch, who called Lava Ridge “the embodiment of liberals’ disregard for the voices of Idahoans and rural America.”
The order also calls for a temporary pause on all leasing and permitting for wind projects on federal lands “pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices.”
Jason Grumet, CEO of American Clean Power, said the industry group “strongly opposes blanket measures to halt or impede development of domestic wind energy on federal lands and waters.”
“The possibility that the federal government could seek to actively oppose energy production by American companies on private land is at odds with our nation’s character as well as our national interests,” the statement continued.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
