TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The government has authorized a revised wind energy project in Idaho despite some local opposition, particularly from groups that are worried about its proximity to a historical site where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II.
The Bureau of Land Management has finalized the Lava Ridge Wind Project plan, located northeast of Twin Falls, reducing the number of proposed wind turbines from 400 to 241. The maximum height for the turbines has been capped at 660 feet (201 meters). According to the Bureau, the area affected by the project has seen a significant decrease, now comprising 992 acres (401 hectares) out of a total 38,535-acre (15,594-hectare) site.
The Bureau mentioned that the wind farm could supply power to as many as 500,000 households and emphasized that its approval represents a careful consideration of clean energy advancement alongside the preservation of natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resources in an area of historical importance.
Concerns have been raised by various organizations about the potential effects on the nearby Minidoka National Historic Site, where many Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Friends of Minidoka, a group dedicated to protecting the site and educating the public about its historical relevance, expressed disappointment regarding the project, viewing it as a threat to the area’s profound significance.
Robyn Achilles, executive director of Friends of Minidoka, conveyed in an email that the site embodies essential lessons about significant breaches of constitutional rights against American citizens, particularly within the Japanese American community. Under the updated project plan, the closest wind turbine will be situated nine miles (14 kilometers) from this historic location.
Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted Executive Order 9066, resulting in the forced removal and imprisonment of around 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, many of whom were vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, or young children.
Idaho’s Attorney General, Raul Labrador, has also voiced his objections to the wind project. In a statement released on Friday, he criticized the federal government’s decision to move forward with the project, citing potential harm to Idaho’s agricultural communities, rural areas, water supplies, wildlife, and historical sites.
The Bureau of Land Management noted that extensive discussions took place involving members of the Japanese American community, Native American leaders, ranchers, and local entities. The Bureau claims that the final project design reduces possible negative effects on wildlife, sage grouse habitats, migration routes, local airports, and other culturally significant sites.
Under the current administration, the Interior Department has greenlit 43 renewable energy projects on public lands. The Bureau of Land Management aims to authorize 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025, which would be sufficient to supply power to about 12 million homes, focusing on wind and solar initiatives.
