A wind farm in Power County, Idaho. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy)
President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order halting the development of the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho.
Permitting for the Lava Ridge Wind Project began in 2019, and it has since become one of Idaho’s most debated topics among politicians, ranchers, environmentalists and the Japanese-American community.
The Bureau of Land Management issued a record of decision for the project in December, giving company Magic Valley Energy the greenlight to move forward with its construction. The project would have spanned 104,000 acres northeast of Twin Falls and included more than 200 turbines with a maximum height of 660 feet.
BLM issues final approval of scaled-down Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho
Trump’s executive order says the project is “contrary to the public interest and suffers from legal deficiencies,” and it revokes the rights of Magic Valley Energy to proceed with the project. It also instructs the U.S. secretary of the Interior to review the record of decision and conduct a new analysis of the different impacts of the Lava Ridge Wind Project.
The Bureau of Land Management declined to offer comment. Magic Valley Energy could not be reached for comment.
Idaho officials celebrate executive order
Members of Idaho’s congressional delegation applauded the move, including U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who worked closely with the incoming Trump administration to craft the executive order.
“I made a promise to Idahoans that I would not rest until the Lava Ridge Wind Project was terminated,” Risch said in a press release. “On day one, President Donald Trump took action to keep that promise.”
The project received significant opposition from groups concerned about its impact on Idaho recreation, ranching, wildlife and the preservation of Minidoka National Historic Site — a site of a former incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II.
“At long last, the calls from Idahoans to reject Lava Ridge have been answered,” Risch said. “Finally, our nation has a leader who recognizes that people on the ground should have a say in how our natural resources are managed.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Simspon, R-Idaho, similarly opposed the project. In a press release, Simpson said the wind project was “out-of-touch” from the needs of Idahoans.
“The Lava Ridge Wind Project is unwelcome and has zero place in our state,” Simpson said. “I stand fully behind President Trump’s decision to end it once and for all.”
Idaho Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, also applauded the executive order. In a press release, Bedke said he is committed to working with the federal government to address the country’s domestic energy needs while preserving the Gem State’s economy, culture and landscape.
“The BLM’s approval of it threatened to undermine the local communities’ clear opposition, remove the multi-use access to our public lands, harm the Minidoka National Historic Site, and wreak havoc on the Magic Valley’s heritage,” Bedke said in the release. “Stopping this massive project is a clear victory for Idahoans who do not support using our backyard, complete with all the negative impacts to our farmers, ranchers, infrastructure, and resources, to fulfill California’s energy agenda.”
Opposing all renewable projects is not a solution, environmental organization says
The Idaho Conservation League, an environmental organization, said developing renewable energy sources is still necessary, despite Trump’s executive order.
“While the Lava Ridge Project wasn’t perfect, we desperately need to develop new sources of renewable energy in order to meet the growing demand for electricity and replace carbon-emitting coal and gas power plants,” the league said in a statement.
There are no wind or solar projects on public lands in Idaho, and a significant amount of Idaho’s energy comes from out-of-state, the league said in the statement.
According to Idaho’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources’ Energy Landscape 2024 Report, Idaho imports 40% of its energy, which is about the same amount of energy it generates from resources in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.
“If the Lava Ridge Project is not a suitable location, then we need to work together to find locations that are suitable for the development of wind and solar in Idaho. Opposing all wind and solar projects is not a viable solution,” the league’s statement said.
The league said developing new sources of renewable energy is in the best interests of ratepayers because it is less expensive to provide energy from solar and wind energy than coal and gas.
“At the end of the day, if we fail to develop wind and solar projects, then we will be on the hook for higher electric bills and longer, hotter, drier, and smokier summers,” the organization said in the statement.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.