Overview
The Renewable Energy Workgroup’s charge was to define renewable resources, highlight the opportunities and challenges presented by large-scale renewable energy projects, and develop recommended position statements that address impacts on working lands, wildlife, cultural and natural resources, and the need for mitigating at the local level.
The workgroup incorporated the following three approved resolutions into their review process:
2021-06: WACD will develop a position statement to address the conversion of working lands to solar farms. And the effect of taking working lands out of production to mitigate solar farms. And to present a recommendation on the position at the Annual Business Meeting in 2022.
2023-05: WACD will develop a task force that explores the topic of hydropower as a renewable resource and develop a position statement for consideration by the membership at the 2024 WACD annual meeting.
2023-09: Work with partners to encourage EFSEC not to bypass local authority when siting new solar and wind installations and ensure sufficient environmental and habitat studies can be done on the impact on shrub-steppe habitat.
The Association adopted all 5 of the Workgroup’s proposed position statements plus as additional two brought to the floor during the WACD 2024 Annual Meeting.
Work Group Members
| Name | Title | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Baye | Supervisor | Lincoln County CD |
| Claire Crawbuck | Supervisor | San Juan Island CD |
| Annesha Dieu | District Manager | Columbia CD |
| Clayton Hutchens | Supervisor | Columbia CD |
| Kara Kaelber | Assistant Manager | Benton/Franklin CDs |
| Mike Nordin | District Manager | Pacific CD |
| Kristina Ribellia | Executive Director | Columbia Basin CD |
| Carson Sprenger | Supervisor | San Juan Island CD |
| Mike Tobin | District Manager | North Yakima CD |