State's biggest business group supports wind-power project

The state's largest business organization has thrown its support to a proposed 75-megawatt wind project in Skamania County and has urged Gov. Chris Gregoire to do the same.

Don C. Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business, informed the governor this week that his organization will take the unusual step of intervening with the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on behalf of SDS Lumber Co.'s proposed Whistling Ridge Wind Project.

Brunell said the association believes the project would set an important precedent for the state's energy future and the future of its forest products industry. The 50 turbines would rise on logged-over timberland near Underwood that is owned by SDS.

"This is an important project because many potential wind generating sites are located in forest land areas," Brunell wrote. The ridge where the turbines would be located is not conducive to timber production, he said, and the forest products industry needs to diversify whenever possible.

"With each recession, lumber, plywood and chip producers such as SDS are at the mercy of the market," he said. "It really is a roller coaster ride, and this most recent downturn has been particularly hard on the industry, its works and suppliers, and communities such as White Salmon, Bingen, Skamania and Carson."

Brunell said the power generated would help replace hydropower lost when Condit Dam on the White Salmon River is demolished and would help Washington utilities comply with the renewable energy portfolio standard approved by voters in Initiative 937, which directs utilities with more than 25,000 customers to get 15 percent of their power from renewable sources like wind or solar power by 2020.

"We believe if Washington is to comply with the renewable portfolio standards incorporated within I-937, projects such as Whistling Ridge must come on line as soon as possible," he said.

Brunell noted that the project has the support of Skamania County commissioners and would produce enough electricity to power 20,000 homes.

Kathie Durbin: 360-735-4523 or kathie.durbin@columbian.com.