The results of the 2024 election may blow away the controversy surrounding the proposed Lava Ridge wind energy project. More on that later.
Federal government priorities have recently collided with the Lava Ridge energy project as the pursuit of green energy initiatives conflicts with the preservation of historical sites. Last month the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) notified the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that they “cannot ensure the project won’t cause damage to the nearby Minidoka National Historic Site.” This is a difficult hurdle for the Biden administration which has been trying to force the Gem State to align with their green energy efforts that burden Idaho while benefiting California.
It seems to have given frustrated Idaho officials and communities, a much-needed respite in its conflict with the Bureau of Land Management. The additional reality of Trump winning the 2024 election is set to drastically change the future of Lava Ridge Energy and many other government overreach schemes. Here is a brief history of the Lava Ridge project.
The Lava Ridge wind energy project was submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in 2020, with plans that massively outgrew most other wind energy sites in the United States. Almost 200,000 acres of federal, state, and privately owned land would be occupied by 400 wind turbines taller than the Seattle Space Needle. The local outrage was understandable.
Public comments, frustrated citizens, and legislation opposing the project all ensued, but the project continued forward. The federal government obstinately ignored the protests of locally affected communities and citizens. In June, the BLM announced it would still move forward with the project, on a smaller scale, reduced by almost 50%, despite the concerns of Idahoans.
The case for the Lava Ridge wind energy project may have finally met its match, as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 section 106 comes into play. Section 106 requires federal agencies “to consider the effects on historic properties of projects.” If a project affects historic properties a Section 106 review is required, giving an opportunity for affected and concerned communities to share their voice on the matter.
On August 9, 2024 the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) formally terminated its consultation with the BLM due to “overwhelming opposition to the project demonstrated by area residents, local elected officials, the Idaho State Legislature, Idaho’s Congressional Delegation, Idaho’s Native American tribes, and constituent communities, including the national voice of the Japanese American Community.”
In September Idaho’s Congressional Delegation wrote to the Chair of the Federal ACHP expressing their concern over the project's impact on the Minidoka National Historic Site, saying: “As you may recall, you were even asked about the impact of the proposed Lava Ridge project on the Minidoka National Historic Site during your confirmation process, to which you responded that 'the Advisory Council would urge the lead federal agency to carefully consider the views of these stakeholders as part of its consulting process.' Unfortunately, the views of these stakeholders—Minidoka survivors, descendants, and allies, along with the vast majority of Idahoans—have been largely disregarded.”
The ACHP responded in September that it would terminate consultation for the Section 106 agreement with the BLM for the Lava Ridge wind project, saying, “The SHPO’s local expertise was essential for effectively implementing the PA’s phased identification and evaluation efforts in addition to mitigating adverse effects to historic properties. Without the SHPO’s participation, the ACHP concluded it could not assume the SHPO’s role or effectively resolve the adverse effects outlined in the PA. Given these limitations, the ACHP determined that further consultation would not lead to feasible measures to resolve these effects and therefore terminated consultation.”
Where does the outgoing Biden administration go from here when its different bureaucratic arms conflict on priorities? The Bureau of Land Management may finally be in a position where it is forced to listen because a fellow bureaucracy has the legislative authority to demand a response. BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning is now required to address the concerns of the stakeholders and propose a plan to protect the Minidoka site.
Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho said, “Today’s decision by the ACHP to terminate consultation on Lava Ridge is a win for Idahoans and underscores that this project is obstructive and entirely unwanted. This battle is not over, and I am committed to fighting until the Biden-Harris administration understand the people of Idaho unequivocally do not want Lava Ridge.”
Today, it’s understandable why the steady creeping of government control on the western states is leading to lawsuits over unappropriated federal lands. Utah initiated the lawsuit this summer, but other western neighbors are joining in the protest by filing a joint state amicus which says, “In short, western States’ sovereign authority to address issues of local concern is curtailed, and billions of dollars are diverted away from western states.”
In specific regards to the Lava Ridge project:
“Unsurprisingly, Idahoans vehemently oppose the project, including through a resolution passed by the Idaho Legislature and a bill proposed by Idaho’s entire Congressional delegation. But the BLM doesn’t have to care; the citizens of Idaho have exactly as much power over this project as the citizens of Illinois or New Jersey—or perhaps less, since there are fewer of them.”
The changing winds of a new federal administration is predicted to dial back government overreach and give western states power in their own lands. During his 2016 administration, Trump reduced the size of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and is known to prioritize oil and gas energy production. Western lands are certain to experience a new management strategy in the coming administration. That includes possibly silencing the windstorm that's been surrounding Lava Ridge.