The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the Lava Ridge Wind Project, a controversial clean energy development plan in Idaho's Magic Valley, despite significant opposition from local communities, lawmakers and advocacy groups.
The Record of Decision, issued Dec. 6, outlines a scaled-down version of the project that reduces the number of turbines and the area impacted.
The approved plan allows for the construction of 241 wind turbines, down from the originally proposed 400, with a maximum height of 660 feet. The project’s footprint has also been reduced by half, now disturbing 992 acres within a 38,535-acre area across Jerome, Lincoln and Minidoka counties.
Despite the revisions, the project faces sharp criticism from Idaho’s congressional delegation, state officials and community groups. Opponents cite concerns about potential impacts on farms, ranches, wildlife and historical sites, including the Minidoka National Historic Site, which commemorates the imprisonment of more than 13,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
“Today’s decision on Lava Ridge flies in the face of the people of Idaho,” said Sen. Jim Risch in a statement. “This administration will spend its days attempting to inflict irreversible damage on southern Idaho and the Minidoka National Historic Site. This is far from over.”
Risch told Boise’s KTVB news that he still doesn’t think the project will actually move forward, especially with the pending transition of power in Washington. “I made the promise that this wasn't going to be built, and this promise is going to be a lot easier to keep with Donald Trump having been elected,” he said.
Risch outlined his hopes for the incoming administration, suggesting that President-elect Trump could issue an executive order to halt the project entirely. If that doesn’t happen, Risch said they could explore legal avenues or propose alternatives within the Senate. “Anybody who thinks this project is going to get built is delusional,” he said.
Sen. Mike Crapo echoed Risch’s concerns, criticizing the administration for disregarding widespread objections. Crapo added, “I look forward to engaging with the incoming Trump administration to have this project reviewed thoughtfully and thoroughly.”
In its news release, the BLM highlighted the culmination of more than 30 months of public outreach and analysis that influenced the final configuration of the Lava Ridge project.
BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning stated, “The BLM spent hundreds of hours in the field and in conference rooms talking with Native American leaders, Japanese American community members, cooperating agencies, ranchers and a broad range of people with deep ties to the Magic Valley, who all helped shape the proposal. Those discussions led to a final decision that balances clean energy development that the country needs and the protection of resources that are vital to the natural and cultural history of the West.”
The Record of Decision also adjusts the project layout to maintain a minimum 9-mile distance from the Minidoka National Historic Site. Additional measures aim to protect wildlife habitats, including sage grouse and large wildlife migration route and winter concentration areas. The decision also minimizes disruptions to the Jerome County Airport and ensures setbacks from private property and requires developers to coordinate closely with local ranching communities.
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