By Martin Gibson
Columbia Gorge News
GOLDENDALE — Columbia Riverkeeper’s attorneys and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation are challenging two permits for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, which could disappear the traditional cultural property of Pushpum under two reservoirs and their infrastructure.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final permit earlier this year, and both parties filed requests for a re-hearing. FERC has 30 days to respond.
They allege that FERC violated the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Protection Act and the Administrative Procedure Act in giving Rye Development, project lead, its license.
“After FERC rules on that petition, an appeal can be filed in court,” Simone Anter, senior staff attorney for Riverkeeper, wrote in a press release.
Pushpum, called “Mother of All Roots” in English, is a sacred seed bank where Yakama Nation gathers traditional First Foods and medicines. It’s also a site of ceremonies and legends.
Rye Development’s water quality permit is before the Washington State Court of Appeals. Riverkeeper and Yakama Nation also appealed that permit together in 2023.
The Washington Department of Ecology and FERC similarly concluded that the project will have “unique significant and unavoidable adverse impacts on Tribal communities and members,” but still recommended that it move forward.
The FERC license requires construction to begin within 24 months; Rye and the project owners, Copenhagen Development, plan to start building in late 2027.
“We respect the vital role of tribal consultation in the FERC licensing process, which is among the most rigorous for all energy projects. With the license now issued for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, we remain committed to working with affected tribes to finalize a Historic Properties Management Plan that safeguards cultural and historic resources,” Rye Development, through Becky Brun of Weinstein PR, told Columbia Gorge News.
The statement went on: “The recent appeal of the 401 certificate and the rehearing request filed with FERC do not affect the project’s construction timeline.”
Before Rye can break ground, they need to file a historic property management plan to explain how they’ll mitigate for the destruction of cultural resources. Yakama Nation, however, has repeatedly said no mitigation is possible — once gone, Pushpum is gone forever.
They also need permits from Klickitat County — for floodplain development, building, fill and grade, zoning conditional use, and critical areas review. The US Army Corps of Engineers may be charged with a 404 permit for part of the upper reservoir.
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