We at Black Hills Audubon appreciate the generally excellent article in The Chronicle by Jordan Nailon concerning our views and concerns about the proposed Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project.
However, our potential support for the project is conditional, so the headline, “Black Hills Audubon Society Backs Skookumchuck Wind Turbine Project, Notes Concerns,” appears to overstate our position.
As the article states later, we are willing to support wind energy projects conditional that sufficient mitigation is provided for the protection of birds and other wildlife.
Black Hills Audubon has not at this point expressed support for the Skookumchuck project, because although RES-Americas is developing a mitigation plan, to our knowledge that has not yet been accomplished.
Furthermore, the National Audubon Society, of which Black Hills is a chapter, has not taken a stand specifically related to the Skookumchuck project.
However, the National Audubon Society also supports properly sited wind power as a renewable energy source that helps reduce the threats posed to birds and people by climate change, while advocating that wind power facilities should be planned, sited, and operated in ways that minimize harm to birds and other wildlife.
Sam Merrill
Olympia
