Assigned Site Specialist
Amy Moon
Horse Heaven Wind Project
Assigned CFE
Sara Reyneveld
sarah.reyneveld@atg.wa.gov
Applicant:
Horse Heaven Wind Farm, LLC.
5775 Flatiron Parkway, Suite 120
Boulder, CO 80301
Location:
Benton County
Project Milestones
Recent Activity
11/01/2024 - Notice of Governor's Decision
10/18/2024 - Governor's final Decision Letter
10/18/2024 - Final Revised SCA
09/17/2024 - Revised Draft Site Certification Agreement
09/17/2024 - Order 894 - Denying Applicant Petition
To view the application visit the Horse Heaven Application webpage
To view SEPA documents (like the EIS) visit the Horse Heaven SEPA page
Project background:
On February 8, 2021 EFSEC received an Application for a Site Certification (ASC) from Horse Heaven Wind Farm, LLC proposing the construction and operation of the Horse Heaven Wind Farm project. The ASC proposes the construction of a renewable energy generation facility that would have a nameplate energy generating capacity of up to 1,150 megawatts (MWs) for a combination of wind and solar facilities as well as battery energy storage systems (BESS). The proposed project is located in Benton County, Washington. According to the ASC, if approved, the Applicant is anticipating commercial operation of the first Phase to be built by the end of calendar year (CY) 2023.
The Applicant is seeking permitting authorization for up to 244 turbine locations and two solar arrays with their capacity dependent on the approved location, technology, and power market interest.
The Facility will utilize wind turbines and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to convert energy from the wind and sun into electric power which is then delivered to the electric power grid. Two battery energy storage systems are proposed that would have a storage capacity of up to 300 MWac (megawatt capacity) using lithium-ion batteries.
Horse Heaven Special Council Meeting
At the July 17, 2024 Council meeting, the Council deliberated on mitigation measures for the Horse Heaven Wind Project in consideration of the May 25, 2024 Governor response to the Council’s April 29, 2024 recommendation. Staff have prepared draft language, which is subject to Council consideration at the August 29, 2024 Special Council meeting.
Public comments were accepted from August 19, 2024 through August 25, 2024 11:59pm.
August 29, 2024 Horse Heaven Special Meeting Recording
The Horse Heaven Special Council Meeting held a vote on Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:30pm.
September 13, 2024 Horse Heaven Special Meeting Recording
*NOTE: When viewing the redlined documents, please make sure to download the file using Microsoft Word to be able to see the tracked changes within the document. In Microsoft Edge there will be a blue box showing "Download file", click that to see the full document.
Special Meeting
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Horse Heaven Special Vote Meeting Agenda | 09/11/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Special Vote Meeting Notice - RESCHEDULED | 09/04/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Special Vote Meeting Notice - CANCELLED | 08/30/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Special Meeting Agenda | 08/29/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Special Meeting Notice | 08/15/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Special Meeting Notice SPANISH | 08/15/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Draft SCA Redlined | 08/19/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Draft SCA | 08/19/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Draft SCA Appendix 2 | 08/19/2024 | |
| Horse Heaven Draft SCA Appendix 2 Redlined | 08/19/2024 |
Horse Heaven Special Meeting Party Comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Yakama Nation Comment | 08/23/2024 | |
| Applicant Comment | 08/25/2024 | |
| TCC Combined Comments (Incl. Sharp & Krupin) | 08/25/2024 |
Horse Heaven Special Meeting Public Comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Comments 001 - 115 | 08/25/2024 |
Public Informational Meeting and Land Use Consistency Hearing March 30, 2021, 5PM
Info Mtg and LUH Transcripts
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Informational Meeting Transcript | 03/30/2021 | |
| Land Use Hearing Transcript | 03/30/2021 |
Info Meeting and Land Use Hearing Documents
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant's PowerPoint Presentation | 03/30/2021 | |
| Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council | 03/30/2021 | |
| Informational Meeting and Land Use Hearing Agenda | 03/30/2021 |
Governor's Proclamation on EFSEC Public Meetings 21-04
Meeting Notice
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| HORSE HEAVEN HILLS WIND AVISO DE REUNIÓN PÚBLICA INFORMATIVA Y AUDIENCIA DE USO CONGRUENTE DEL SUELO | 03/11/2021 | |
| Notice of Public Information Meeting | 03/09/2021 |
Counsel for the Environment
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Counsel for the Environment appoints Bill Sherman | 03/01/2021 | |
| EFSEC requests CFE appointment | 02/17/2021 |
Comments Received
Comments received for the Horse Heaven Wind Project are categorized below and updated as soon as can become available.
Comments outside of a comment period can be sent to the EFSEC comment mailbox at any time: comments@efsec.wa.gov.
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 42.56). Information included in the comment such as the commenter'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.
Draft EIS comments can be found on the Horse Heaven SEPA page
Comments filed under the general comment category are comments EFSEC has recieved outside of a specific comment period time frame. The Council consideres all comments received regardless of wheter it is received during a comment period.
General Comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| General Comments 0001 - 0050 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0051 - 0100 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0101 - 0150 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0151 - 0200 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0201 - 0250 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0251 - 0300 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0301 - 0350 | 04/02/2021 | |
| General comments 0351 - 0396 | 06/08/2021 | |
| General comments 0397 - 0442 | 11/09/2022 | |
| General comments 0443 - 0458 | 11/15/2022 | |
| General comments 0459 - 0472 | 12/08/2022 | |
| General comments 0473 - 0523 | 06/13/2023 | |
| General comments 0524 - 0574 | 06/13/2023 | |
| General comments 0575 - 0625 | 06/13/2023 | |
| General comments 0626 - 0676 | 06/13/2023 | |
| General comments 0677 - 0727 | 06/13/2023 | |
| General comments 0728 - 0741 | 07/05/2023 | |
| General comments 0742 - 0832 | 08/22/2023 | |
| General comments 0833 - 0933 | 05/28/2024 | |
| General comments 0934 - 0946 | 06/20/2024 |
HH Action Item Comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| December 20, 2023 Mitigation Measures | 12/20/2023 | |
| January 31, 2024 Extension Request | 01/31/2024 | |
| January 31, 2024 Mitigation Measures | 01/31/2024 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_001 | 10/18/2022 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_002 | 10/18/2022 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_003 | 10/18/2022 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_004 | 10/18/2022 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_005 | 10/18/2022 | |
| October 18, 2022 Extension Request Comment_006 | 10/18/2022 |
Tribal Governments Comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Letter from Yakama Nation Chairman | 03/14/2024 | |
| Comment from Nisqually Indian Tribe | 05/19/2021 | |
| Comment from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation | 06/23/2021 | |
| Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Comment Letter | 03/02/2021 | |
| Confederated Tribes of the Umitilla Indian Reservation Comments | 04/09/2021 | |
| CTUIR Traditional Use Cover Letter | 05/31/2021 | |
| EFSEC letter - CTUIR Comment Received | 04/29/2021 | |
| Executive Summary from CTUIR regarding Traditional Use Study | 06/02/2021 | |
| June 1, 2021 Spokane Tribe deferral | 06/01/2021 | |
| Letter to Yakama Contacts | 04/29/2021 | |
| May 3, 2021 Spokane Tribe of Indians Deferral | 05/03/2021 | |
| Response from the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe | 05/19/2021 | |
| Response from the Quinault Indian Nation | 05/19/2021 | |
| Tulalip Tribe response to request for comment | 06/17/2021 |
Agency Comment
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| A0001_WSDOT | 03/30/2021 | |
| A0002_WDFW | 03/31/2021 | |
| A0003_WDFW_Rvw2 | 04/01/2021 | |
| A0004_WDFW_Rvw3 | 04/01/2021 | |
| A0005_DAHP_Rvw_Ltr | 03/09/2021 | |
| A0007_ECY_WtlndRvw | 03/29/2021 | |
| A0010_WSDA_AgRvw | 06/14/2021 | |
| Letter to EJC regarding application from 8th, 9th, 14th, 15th, and 16th District Legislators | 02/06/2023 | |
| WDFW Grassland and Shrubsteppe Corrected Mitigation Acreage 5/19/21 for the WDFW Rvw 3 letter dated 4/1/21 | 05/19/2021 | |
| Letter to EFSEC regarding application from 8th, 9th, 15th, and 16th District Legislators | 06/08/2023 |
Scoping comments can be found on the SEPA webpage
Informational meeting comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Informational meeting comments #0001 - #0050 | 03/30/2021 | |
| Informational meeting comments #0051 - #0100 | 03/30/2021 | |
| Informational meeting comments #0101 - #0135 | 03/30/2021 |
Pre-application comments
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Comments P0001 - P0013 | 04/02/2021 |
Orders
Correspondence
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Councilmember Sandison Resignation | 10/24/2023 | |
| Department of Ecology Wetland Site Visit | 05/27/2021 | |
| Letter from Tetra Tech Ferruginous Hawk Data and Recommendations | 01/20/2022 |
Tribal Consultation
| Document Title | Document Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima Nation Consultation Request | 01/05/2023 |