Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
As expected the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council voted today to approve the controversial Carriger Solar project in Klickitat County. Here’s the chair, Kurt Beckett:
“The motion is to approve the draft site certification as amended and the report recommending the governor approve the Carriger Solar Project located in Klickitat County.”
The vote was six to one with Klickitat County representative Matt Childs the sole no vote:
“When we take farmland out of production for solar, we are not looking to our future. One of the things we have discovered is agrivoltaics works, which is mixed agriculture with the solar. Really, the only thing that needs to happen to make it happen, is the panels need to be raised up a little. The fact that the Carriger project is not going to have any agrivoltaics is going to really hinder the acceptance of solar in places like Klickitat County.”
The governor has indicated in the past that he would approve the project.