Opposition to Idaho Wind Farms Fierce and Growing
America is said to be a deeply divided country. Want to unite your neighbors? Propose a wind farm in their backyard. I’m telling you, I’ve been on-air in southern Idaho for 7 and a half years and I’ve never seen anything like the opposition to the three proposed turbine farms that would occupy a couple of hundred thousand acres. Joan Hurlock is a concerned citizen of Buhl. The retired Capitol Police Officer came to Idaho from Washington to live out her life in the splendor of the high desert. She's now among the leading voices battling the proposed turbines.
She started researching the proposals (there are three projects planned for the valley) and is now one of the leading voices of opposition. She joined us on Magic Valley This Morning on Newsradio 96.1 FM and 1310 KLIX.
The initial plan, known as Lava Ridge, would extend across Jerome, Lincoln, and Minidoka Counties. Then came the Salmon Falls proposal, which would cover a wide area south of Twin Falls. Now there’s a third part of the project being proposed for Gooding County. One Lincoln County Commissioner is on record as opposed. Others may follow.
On Tuesday, June 14th, there is an open meeting scheduled for the public at County West in Twin Falls (the old hospital facility). A session is scheduled for the Planning and Zoning conference room on the ground floor facing Addison Avenue. The gathering will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m.
The turbines, with blades as long as a 747 jetliner, would be placed on Bureau of Land Management grounds. Hurlock explains it’s far from a done deal. You can listen to our conversation below on YouTube.
I’ve been approached by the company behind the wind plans, but after a few postponements, the firm has gone “radio silent”.