Biologists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) said that the Crook county need a three-mile set back from the nesting habitat. Commissioners felt it will spoil the project.
The company should still get its access road approved from blm and deschutes county along with a final layout of how many turbines and where the turbines will be installed.
“It’s going to bring a lot of jobs during construction, probably up to 100 jobs for eight months and during operations, 8 to 10 permanent jobs for 30 years,” said John Stahl, managing partner of West Butte Wind Power.
“The concern has to do with the heighth of the turbines, the noise that would be associated with it. The disturbance that would be associated with traffic going in and out,” said ODFW Wildlife Biologist Brian Ferry.
“We have a quarter mile separation. We feel our quarter mile will accomplish it, but we are trying to accommodate a mitigation plan,” said Crook county planning director Bill Zelenka.
