EFSEC: Whistling Ridge Wind Power Project

Whistling Ridge Energy Project

On March 10, 2009, Whistling Ridge Energy LLC, submitted an Application for Site Certification to construct and operate the Whistling Ridge Energy Project. The Project will consist of up to fifty 1.2- to 2.5-megawatt wind turbines with a maximum generating capacity of 75 MW, to be located on the forested ridges of Saddleback Mountain in eastern Skamania County (location map). The Project includes an operation and maintenance facility, underground collector lines and systems, and other ancillary facilities. The proposed project will cover 1,152 acres.

On October 12, 2009, Whistling Ridge Energy LLC submitted an Amended Application for Site Certification that eliminated the site access road that traveled through the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area to a road at the site's western boundary, outside the National Scenic Area.

Applicant:	Whistling Ridge Energy LLC PO Box 266 Bingen, WA 98605 (509) 493-6103
Facility:	75 MW wind power project
Location:	Skamania County, Washington, approximately 7 miles northwest of White Salmon, Washington. Site Location Figure
Status:	The EFSEC Council has prepared a recommendation order to the Governor. Review the recommendation process Amended Application submitted on Oct. 12, 2009, application review continuing. Adjudicative Proceeding initiated, Notice for intervention issued on June 25, 2009. Application review initiated. Land Use Consistency hearing held on May 7, 2009.

General Information:

Adjudicative Proceeding - EFSEC is holding an adjudicative proceeding or the Whistling Ridge Energy Project under Chapter 34.05 RCW, the Administrative Procedure Act and has commenced the adjudicative hearing related to Application No. 2009-01 in accordance with the procedural requirements found in Chapter 463-30 WAC and Chapter 34.05 RCW.

See the Adjudication page for information, motions, orders, and filings related to EFSEC adjudicative proceedings of the Whistling Ridge Energy Project.

Application Review Process - Please see EFSEC site certification/application review
process

Environmental Review - EFSEC, in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration is conducting an environmental review under the State and National Environmental Policy Acts (SEPA and NEPA). Environmental Review page

Land Use Consistency - On May 7, 2006 EFSEC held a Land Use Consistency hearing in Skamania County. Land Use page

Amended Application for Site Certification - On October 12, 2009 Whistling Ridge LLC submitted an Amended Application for Site Certification. The primary change is the elimination of the site access through the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area. Below are links to the amended Application (Please note that the new language is underlined and deleted language is in ~~strike through~~):

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1 GENERAL
SECTION 1.1 DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT
SECTION 1.2 DESIGNATION OF AGENT
SECTION 1.3 ASSURANCES
SECTION 1.4 MITIGATION MEASURES
SECTION 1.5 SOURCES OF INFORMATION

PART 2 PROPOSAL
SECTION 2.1 SITE DESCRIPTION
SECTION 2.2 LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS AND OWNERSHIP
    INTERESTS
SECTION 2.3 CONSTRUCTION ON SITE
SECTION 2.4 ENERGY TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
SECTION 2.5 WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
SECTION 2.6 SYSTEM OF HEAT DISSIPATION
SECTION 2.7 CHARACTERISTICS OF AQUATIC
      DISCHARGE SYSTEMS
SECTION 2.8 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
SECTION 2.9 SPILLAGE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
SECTION 2.10 SURFACE WATER RUNOFF
SECTION 2.11 EMISSION CONTROL
SECTION 2.12 CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
       ACTIVITIES
SECTION 2.13 CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
SECTION 2.14 CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY
SECTION 2.15 PROTECTION FROM NATURAL HAZARDS
SECTION 2.16 SECURITY CONCERNS
SECTION 2.17 STUDY SCHEDULES
SECTION 2.18 POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE ACTIVITIES
      AT THE SITE
SECTION 2.19 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES
SECTION 2.20 PERTINENT FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL
      REQUIREMENTS

PART 3 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
SECTION 3.1 EARTH
SECTION 3.2 AIR QUALITY
SECTION 3.3 WATER
SECTION 3.4 HABITAT, VEGETATION, FISH AND WILDLIFE
SECTION 3.5 WETLANDS AND OTHER JURISDICTIONAL
       WATERS
SECTION 3.6 ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

PART 4 BUILT ENVIRONMENT
SECTION 4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
SECTION 4.2 LAND AND SHORELINE USE
SECTION 4.3 TRANSPORTATION
SECTION 4.4 SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT

PART 5 APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND AUTHORIZATIONS
SECTION 5.1 AIR EMISSIONS PERMITS AND
AUTHORIZATIONS
SECTION 5.2 WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER
DISCHARGE PERMIT APPLICATION

APPENDICES
Appendix A Geotechnical Report
Appendix B Wildlife Reports
Appendix C Wetlands Report
Appendix D Representative Health and Safety
Codes
Appendix E Proposed Skamania Zoning Code
Appendix F Tribal Consultation

Recent Activity:

5-13-2013 Petitioner's Reply Brief

4-16-2013 - Whistling Ridge Supreme Court Briefs: Petitioners Brief, Respondents Brief, Counties Brief, Whistling Ridge Brief

11-30-12 Supreme Court Briefing Schedule

10-26-12 Order Taking Judicial Notice of Legal Authorities and Facts

10-26-12 Order Certifying Petition for Review to Supreme Court for Direct Review Pursuant to RCW 80.50.140

10-23-12 Reply to Petitioners� Response to Motion to Certify Petition for Review to Supreme Court Pursuant to RCW 80.50.140

10-22-12 Respondents� Response to Petitioners� Motion to Take Judicial Notice

10-17-12 Petitioners� Response to Motion to Certify Petition for Review to Supreme Court Pursuant to RCW 80.50.140

9-28-12 Order

9-26-12 Petitioners� Reply in Support of Objection To The Adminstrative Record & Motion to Correct & Add to the Record

9-21-12 Petitioners� Motion on Shortened Time to Set Over Hearing Date & Modify Briefing Schedule for Respondents� Motion to Certify Petition for Review to Supreme Court

9-20-12 Motion to Certify Petition for Review to Supreme Court Pursuant to RCW 80.50.140

9-20-12 Answer to Petitioners� Objection to the Administrative Record and Motion to Correct and Add to the Record

8-31-2012 Petitioner's Objection to Administrative Record and Motion to Correct and Add to the Record

3-5-2012 Governor Gregoire approves the EFSEC recommendation package for the Whistling Ridge Energy Project, LLC

1-5-2012 Transmittal to Governor

SCA
Recommendation Order No. 869
Adjudicative Order No. 868
Final EIS
Petitions for Reconsideration
Parties' Responses to Petitions
Council Order No. 870 Denying Petitions For Reconsideration
Resolution/Letter of Response to Objection
Response to SEPA Request
Adjudicative Proceedings Record and Exhibit List
Motion by FOCG and SOSA to take Official Notice
Applicant's Reply to FOCG and SOSA's Request to take Official Notice
Council Order No. 871 Denying FOCG and SOSA Motion to take Official Notice

12-30-2011 EFSEC response letter to FOCG and SOSA objection to Council member Doug Sutherland's participation.

12-30-2011 FOCG and SOSA objection to Council member Doug Sutherland's participation.

12-27-11 Whistling Ridge Order No. 870 Denying Petitions For Reconsideration

12-27-11 Response to Request for Supplemental FEIS

12-27-11 Whistling Ridge Special Meeting Minutes

12-21-11 Whistling Ridge Announcement of Special Meeting on 12-27-11

12-21-11 Amended 10-6-11 Evening Transcript

10-6-11 Day Meeting Transcript

10-6-11 Evening Meeting Transcript

8-3-11 Special Meeting Minutes

10-28-11 Friends of the Columbia Gorge & Save Our Scenic objection to Council member Doug Sutherland's participation

10-6-11 Whistling Ridge Recommendation Package to be provided to Governor Gregoire:

Attachment 1 - Adjudicative Order No. 868

Attachment 2 - Recommendation Order No. 869

Attachment 3 - Draft SCA

Attachment 4 - Important Message from the Governor

9-21-11 Whistling Ridge Special Meeting Announcement

8-16-11 Public Statement Read at the Monthly Council Meeting

8-12-11 Final Environmental Impact Statement

8-3-11 FEIS Summary

8-3-11 Special meeting to review and discuss information and issues related to elements of the Whistling Ridge Application. Public Notice

6-14-11 Response to Motion to Reopen Record: Applicant; Skamania Cty; AWB; and PUD, Port & SKC

6-8-11 Notice of Time to File Response

6-3-11 Motion to Reopen Record
Ex 30.26, 30.27, 30.28 & 30.29

4-20-11 Notice of Site Tour - Map for Day 1 of Tour & Map for Days 2 and 3 of Tour

4-4-11 Response Briefs - Parties filed response briefs with the Council on April 1, 2011

3-18-11 Adjudicative Briefs - Parties filed Adjudicative Briefs with the Council March 18, 2011

3-21-11 Council Order No. 865 - Whistling Ridge Post Hearing Order No. 20 - Council Order Affirming Restriction against Incorporations by reference into Briefs

3-4-11 Whistling Ridge Posthearing Order No. 19 - Council Order No. 864 - Posthearing Order on Procedural Matters. Final Exhibit List

2-25-11 Whistling Ridge Repsonse to Land Use Briefs

2-11-11 Whistling Ridge Land Use Briefs

2-2-11 Whistling Ridge Energy - Adjudicative Public Comments

12-22-10 DEIS Draft Comment Responses. Login Information:
User Name: whistlingridge Password: deiscomments

12-22-10 Council Order No. 862 - Prehearing Order No. 17 - Decision and Declaration of Councilmember Doug Sutherland in response to Intervenors' Disqualification Motion

12-22-10 Council Order No. 861 - Prehearing Order No. 16 - Decision of Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council in Response to Intervenor's Motion to Disqualify Doug Sutherland

12-10-10 Council Order No. 859- Prehearing Order No. 15 - Prehearing Order Regarding Hearing Procedure and Logistics, Notice of Hearing & Notice of Prehearing Conference

12-8-10 Council Order No.- 858 Prehearing Order No. 14 - Prehearing
Order Denying Objection to Proposed Witness Wiley

11-19-10 Council Order No. 857 - PHO No. 13 - Regarding Hearing Procedure and Logistics

11-19-10 - Council Order No. 856 - PHO No. 12 - Prehearing Order on Review of Prehearing Order No. 11

10-26-10 - Whistling Ridge Energy - Supplemental Notice of Prehearing Conference

10-19-10 - Council Order No. 855 - PHO No. 11 - Prehearing Order on Discovery

10-15-10 - Council Order No. 854 - PHO No. 10 - Prehearing Order on Admission to the Adjudicative record of Documents by Reference

10-8-10 - Council Order No. 853 - PHO No. 9 - Prehearing Order on APA-SEPA process interface and Timing of the Adjudicative Hearing

10-1-10 - Council Order No. 852 - PHO No. 8 - Notice of Discovery Conference & Notice of Prehearing Conference

9-13-10 - Council Order No. 851 - PHO No. 7 - Notice of Prehearing Conference

9-8-10 - Whistling Ridge Energy Draft Environmental Impact Statement Public Comments

8-17-10 - Whistling Ridge Energy - Notice of Prehearing Status Conference

8-11-10 - Council Order 850 PHO 6 - Clarifying PHO 5

7-19-10 - Whistling Ridge Energy - Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement

7-9-10 Council Order 849 PHO 5 Extending Answer Period for Objection to Council Order 848

7-9-10 Save our Scenic Area's and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge's Supplemental Objection to Council Order 848 PHO 4

7-9-10 Yakima Nation Objections to Council Order 848 PHO 4

7-8-10 Save Our Scenic Area's and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge's Objection to Council Order 848 PHO 4

6-29-10 Council Order 848 PHO 4 - Setting Adjudicative Schedule and Ruling on Matters Presented for Determination

6-4-10 Council Order 847 PHO 3 - Denying Request for Continuance of Prehearing Conference

5-25-10 Notice of Pre-hearing Conference - June 17, 2010

5-21-10 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Issued by BPA & EFSEC

1-27-10 Skamania County Resolution 2009-54 revising Certification of Land Use Consistency

10-12-09 Amendment to Application for Site Certification

9-8-09 Responses to the Yakama Nation Cultural Resources Program's Petition for Intervention

9-8-09 Applicant's Response to Statements of Legal Issues

8-31-09 SEPA Scoping Report

8-27-09 Notice of Opportunity to Respond to Yakama Nation Cultural Resources Program's Petition for Intervention

8-24-09 Yakama Nation Cultural Resources Program's Petition for Intervention

8-24-09 Interveners' statements of legal issues

8-6-09 July 28, 2009 Prehearing Conference Transcript

8-4-09 Council Order No. 842 - Prehearing Order Granting Petitions for Intervention; Establishing Schedule for Statements of Legal Positions

7-24-09 Applicant's motion for intervention consolidation.

7-20-09 Petitions for Intervention

6-25-09 Notice of Opportunity and Closing Date to File Petitions for Intervention July 16, 2009; Notice of Prehearing Conference and Oral Arguments on Intervention July 28, 2009

6-17-09 Written Scoping/Public Comments

6-2-09 Public Scoping Comment meeting transcript, May 6, 2009 Stevenson, WA

6-2-09 Public Scoping Comment meeting transcript, May 7, 2009 Underwood, WA

5-27-09 Land Use Consistency Hearing transcript.

5-12-09 Land Use submittals

4-29-09 Special Meeting Notice - Site Tour

4-21-09 Determination of Significance, Scoping Notice and Revised Notice of Initial Public Meeting, Land Use Consistency Hearing and Public Scoping Meeting - May 6 & 7, 2009

4-6-09 Determination of Significance, Scoping Notice & Notice of Initial Public Meeting, Land Use Consistency Hearing and Public Scoping Meeting - May 6, 2009

4-2-09 Request for Proposal - Independent Consulting Services for Environmental Review of Whistling Ridge Energy Project. Proposals due 5 pm, April 24, 2009.

3-10-09 Application Submitted

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For information or questions concerning this Project please contact:

Stephen Posner, Compliance Manager
Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
1300 S Evergreen Park Dr SW
PO Box 43172
Olympia, WA 98504-3172
(360) 664-1903

To be added to the Whistling Ridge Energy Project mailing list, please:

contact Kayce Michelle Kmichell@utc.wa.gov at (360) 664-1363, or
e-mail your complete name and postal address to efsec@utc.wa.gov and indicate if you want to receive notices of future permitting activity for this project by e-mail, surface mail, or both methods of delivery.

Important Note: Public comments submitted to the Council via the internet or in writing become public records under the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.17). Information included in the comment such as the commentor's e-mail and mailing address becomes a public record once it is provided to EFSEC and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law. For additional information please see our Privacy Notice.

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