"Landmark Decision" Helps Spur Power Development.WindWorks! Celebrates Washington State Supreme Court Decision in Controversial Wind Farm Case ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- The regional wind power advocacy group WindWorks! Northwest joined with Washington environmentalists, consumers, union and business advocates in celebrating today's Supreme Court decision upholding the authority of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC EFSEC Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council ). "The Court's decision will spur much-needed renewable energy development Renewable energy development covers the advancement, capacity growth, and use of renewable energy sources. Modern interest in renewable energy development is linked to concerns about exhaustion of fossil fuels and environmental, social and political risks of extensive use of fossil in our state," said WindWorks! Field Director, David Stearns. "Six years is much too long and 16,000 pages of records way too much to permit a wind farm," Stearns emphasized. "It's a good thing for all of us that Horizon stuck through this odyssey and, with this result, brings this much-needed wind farm on line." The Supreme Court dismissed arguments presented by the Kittitas County Commissioners and its Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY NIM·BY n. pl. NIM·BYs Slang One who objects to the establishment in one's neighborhood of projects, such as incinerators, prisons, or homeless shelters, that are believed to be dangerous, unsightly, or otherwise undesirable. ) allies. In doing so, the Court confirmed the Legislature's intent in creating EFSEC to balance "demand for new energy facilities with the broad interests of the public." The Supreme Court decision paves the way for Horizon Wind Energy to build its long-delayed 110 megawatt Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project straddling strad·dle v. strad·dled, strad·dling, strad·dles v.tr. 1. a. To stand or sit with a leg on each side of; bestride: straddle a horse. b. U.S. Highway 97 between Cle Elum Cle Elum may mean:
"The importance of building wind power in Washington cannot be overstated o·ver·state tr.v. o·ver·stat·ed, o·ver·stat·ing, o·ver·states To state in exaggerated terms. See Synonyms at exaggerate. o ," said Stearns. "It requires a careful balance between local interest and the State's need to ensure that we move forward in a responsible manner." WindWorks! Northwest advocates for government approval of well-conceived wind power projects in the Pacific Northwest. WindWorks! counters NIMBY opposition by telling the truth about the effects of wind farms and the economic and environmental benefits they provide. For more information and background on the Supreme Court's landmark decision A landmark decision is the outcome of a legal case (often thus referred to as a landmark case) that establishes a precedent that either substantially changes the interpretation of the law or that simply establishes new case law on a particular issue. see: www.wwnw.org |
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