Update, Dec. 17, 2019: North Coast activists scored a major victory today as the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny Terra-Gen’s destructive on-shore wind project. A few things about this important development: The Wiyot Tribe was key. The Tribal Council voted unanimously to oppose the wind project and they sent many representatives to attend the long hearings. And they spoke beautifully about this sacred land that the Wiyot have called home for many thousands of years. Another key was the rapidly mobilized grassroots campaign against the project, led by some very skilled and experienced people, and driven by an eclectic cross-section of the community that included a large number of impressive and well spoken young people. Also, a large number of people who initially supported the project eventually reversed themselves after absorbing volumes of critical information gathered and disseminated by the Wiyot, by biologists and other scientists, and by NGOs like Siskiyou Land Conservancy. Destroying precious biodiversity will not solve the climate crisis, but will only exacerbate it. We at Siskiyou Land Conservancy take our hats off to the hundreds of people who turned out for endless meetings and effectively showed this major transnational energy company the door. Thank you.

Earlier post:

Planning Commission rejects Terra-Gen’s proposal for forty-seven 600-foot turbines on ecologically sensitive Monument and Bear River Ridges. Proposal now in the hands of the Board of Supervisors.

After several hundred people turned out for three meetings of the Humboldt County Planning Commission, in November 2019, to oppose a proposed wind factory along Monument and Bear River Ridges, the Commission shocked onlookers and voted 4-2 against approving the project’s Environmental Impact Report.

Siskiyou Land Conservancy was among the leading voices urging denial of the wind factory EIR, along with the Wiyot Tribe, whose Council voted unanimously to oppose the project. Tribal Council members, elders, and staff representatives showed up in force to stop what they said would be the further desecration of their sacred lands by giant bird-shredding turbines.

Terra-Gen officials say they will appeal the denial to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. Opponents promise to turn out in force for these meetings as well.

Siskiyou Land Conservancy supports wind energy. Wind is a crucial contributor to lowering carbon emissions during our current climate emergency. But just as we would oppose the idea of solar panels strewn across the tops of the last ancient redwood trees, we will seek to prevent the massive ecological damage that a wind factory would cause to this rare remaining linkage of biodiversity and critical habitat.

The amount of available information on Terra-Gen’s wind energy proposal is almost inexhaustible. Following are some links that will help to paint the picture of what this project is all about. Meanwhile, here is how you can support our efforts.

Solar Power, Not Wind Turbines, Better Suits Our Needs An op-ed by Siskiyou Land Conservancy Secretary Dr. Ken Miller.

‘Hook, Line and Turbine’  An op-ed by Siskiyou Land Conservancy Executive Director Greg King.

‘The Terra-Gen Wind Power Project Will Chain Us to the PG&E Grid and Ruin a Sacred Place’ Wiyot Tribal Biologist Adam Canter’s op-ed opposing the project.

Canter also appeared on Jefferson Public Radio.

‘Protect Tsakiyuwit, Deny Terra-Gen’s Wind Farm’ An op-ed by the North Coast Journal.

‘Rio Dell Mayor Asks Supes to Move Terra-Gen Appeal Meeting Down South’ The city of Rio Dell, along with the nearby town of Scotia, oppose the wind farm.

In a single issue, four out of five letters to the editor of the North Coast Journal oppose the wind farm.

If you really want to go deep, here is the County of Humboldt’s Terra-Gen page, containing all pertinent documents and comments.