Solar project bypasses Klickitat County approval process

If approved for what is called a “site certification agreement” through EFSEC, the Carriger project would bypass all other state and local agency permits. It is planned for construction in 2024, according to the project website.

“Carriger Solar is pursuing EFSEC permitting to ensure a comprehensive review that lessens the burden on county resources, allowing Klickitat County to remain responsive to the needs of its residents. This state process incorporates local input as part of its review and will provide the greatest protection to our landowner partners’ interests while ensuring state-level regulatory oversight,” said Stacy Gramazio, director of external affairs and community engagement strategy with Cypres Creek Renewables.

“Our team began community outreach in 2019 and has provided regular project updates since that time via email, our website, in-person meetings with stakeholders, and events. We intend to continue to be a strong community partner throughout the life of the project,” Gramazio said.

Residents can sign up for project updates at carrigersolar.com/connect.

The Carriger Solar Project proposes to generate 160 megawatts of solar energy and 63 megawatts of battery energy storage. The EFSEC application notes that the project would operate year-round and would be in operation for up to 40 years.

The application comes amid an ongoing moratorium on solar development applications across a wide swath of central Klickitat County, adopted in January, which will add a layer of complexity to the process.

Last month, EFSEC ruled its authority overrules a moratorium enacted by the Yakima County Board of Commissioners following two applications submitted to EFSEC for solar farm development approval. EFSEC argued that the moratorium did not apply to state land use regulations.

“If (the application) is approved by EFSEC then there will be a project being built. It will be interesting to see if EFSEC rules that our moratorium is or is not a zoning determination for the land use consistency,” said Klickitat County Commissioner Jacob Anderson at the commission meeting last Tuesday.

Anderson, who was the sole vote against the moratorium, said he voted that way to have the representatives with Carriger Solar apply for local permits so that the county planning department, board of adjustment and other local permitting officials could have a say in the matter. “My goal was to have these large scale solar developers go through our processes,” he said.

County Commissioner Dan Christopher, who brought forth the moratorium for consideration and championed its passage at the beginning of the year, compared the situation to Yakima County’s moratorium, saying that this issue is different because the Klickitat County moratorium was put in place before Carriger Solar representatives filed their application with the state agency. EFSEC sent the two pending applications for energy developments for final approval by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this month.

“Yes, EFSEC permitted the Yakima site but is that really a shock to anyone? It is EFSEC’s job to fast track permitting of green energy projects after all. EFSEC was put in place to bypass local project review and local citizen input and that’s exactly what they did,” Christopher said in an email.

Christopher said he believes EFSEC will “wait and see where we go with our moratorium” based on previous discussions he has had with EFSEC officials. Through the moratorium, he wants the county to adopt further regulation on solar development which is to be curated through discussions held with the county planning commission, the body to which the issue will be referred.

Christopher believes that if the county uses the moratorium as a “never ending tool to stop all solar and do nothing to create actual code/ordinance,” EFSEC will move forward with its process.

“What I think we should all now agree on, is that the moratorium that Commissioner (Lori) Zoller and myself passed was the right decision after all, as it was done to make sure our citizens are covered (via county code/ordinances) in case a project chose to go through the state EFSEC process while we have little or no code/ordinances on our books,” Christopher said.

The Carriger Solar Project application is available online at www.efsec.wa.gov/energy-facilities/carriger-solar/carriger-solar-application.

Public hearings on the county’s solar moratorium will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Klickitat County Services building, 115 W. Court St., Room 200, Goldendale.