YAKIMA — The Wautoma Solar Project, located just outside the northeast corner of Yakima County, has been recommended by state officials for Gov. Jay Inslee’s approval.
Members of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council voted unanimously last week to recommend approval of the 470-megawatt solar facility that includes a four-hour, 470 MW battery energy storage system.
It would be built on 4,573 acres of privately owned land near the intersection of State Routes 24 and 241, roughly 13 miles north of Sunnyside. It is just east of the Yakima/Benton county line. near the Silver Dollar Café and a steep hill tackled by motorcycle racers in the annual Northwest Nitro Nationals Pro Hill Climb.
Proposed by Innergex Renewable Development, a Canadian company, most of the Wautoma solar panels, power lines and a new substation would be built on land leased from the Robert family, which has operated a ranch on the property since the 1890s.
EFSEC’s recommendation to Inslee follows a written decision from state administrative law Judge Dan Gerard, who ruled the state siting agency’s decisions can supersede county zoning laws, provided environmental considerations are addressed for large-scale energy facilities.
To that end, the recommendation to Inslee includes conditions determined under the State Environmental Protection Act to address tribal, environmental and recreational concerns, along with decommissioning requirements.
At a Sept. 25 adjudication hearing, EFSEC officials heard from Innergex representatives, Benton County officials and members of the Robert family.
Robin Robert noted that due to a declining water table in the area, a well on his family’s property produces less than half the water it used to provide, prompting his family to purse the lease agreement with Innergex for the solar facility.
He said the family would keep its cattle but would reduce its irrigated acreage if permission is granted for the Wautoma project.
Benton County officials, as they did with the controversial Horse Heaven wind and solar project between Kennewick and Prosser, argued that industrial-sized energy facilities don’t belong on land zoned for agriculture.
Appealing the recommendation
Karl Holappa, EFSEC public information officer, said members of the public have 20 days to petition for reconsideration of the council’s decision on Wautoma, which was issued Nov. 22.
These requests should address all of the filing party’s concerns raised by the recommendation package in a single petition, Holappa said. If a petition is received within the time limit, the deadline for a reply to the request for reconsideration is within 14 days, he added.
The Washington governor — either Inslee or his successor, governor-elect Bob Ferguson, who will be sworn in on Jan. 15 — has 60 days from Nov. 22 to approve the project application, reject the application or direct EFSEC to reconsider parts of its recommendation.
For access to the recommendation and all other documents regarding the project, visit the EFSEC website, click on the “Energy Facilities” tab and scroll down to the Wautoma Solar Project.
