The Whitman County Commissioners will discuss the potential extension of their moratorium on new wind farms during their meeting on Monday.

Earlier this year, the board enacted a six-month moratorium on new wind turbines to provide the Whitman County Planning Commission with the necessary time to update regulations governing these structures. This decision coincides with a proposal from Steelhead Americas to develop a wind farm near Kamiak Butte, north of Pullman. The proposal has elicited a variety of responses from local citizens, leading to the formation of a coalition called Save the Palouse, which has expressed concerns regarding the project. The planning commission is still in the process of updating the wind farm regulations.

Steelhead Americas has communicated with the county commissioners about their intention to potentially advance their project to the State of Washington for approval. This would bypass the local approval process in Whitman County, taking the proposal to the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC). As of now, Steelhead Americas has not formally submitted an application to EFSEC for their Harvest Hills wind farm.

The existing moratorium on new wind farms in Whitman County is set to expire early next month. The commissioners will invite public comments concerning the possible extension of the moratorium on Monday morning at 10:15 AM in the courthouse located in Colfax. Following the public input, the board is expected to vote on the matter.