One of three state-wide Rural Clean Energy study meeting held here

By Melissa Gemmell

Dayton Chronicle Reporter

DAYTON-The first of three public meetings to glean community feedback for the study on Rural Clean Energy sponsored by the Department of Commerce, was held in Dayton on May 14. This study is in response to an amendment to policy for HB1216 requiring public input on the impact of clean energy to rural communities.

The meeting was hosted by the consultant firm Ross Strategic who is conducting the study for the Department of Commerce. Susan Hayman from Ross Strategic facilitated the gathering. Attendees attempted to ask questions related to specific projects, but she clarified that the purpose of meetings and the study was not to promote specific projects or agenda, but to share general information about the study and to get feedback from the community about benefits and concerns about small- and large-scale clean energy developments including infrastructure placement and the impact on and potential for a fair and inclusive clean energy economy.

The study is designed to create better understanding between representatives and their constituents, as well as government agencies and policy makers about the direct and indirect financial and economic opportunities and impact of renewable energy project in rural Washington. The study will consider non-economic impacts and opportunities as well. Representative Mary Dye said the study allows for the ability to work holistically in the approach to clean energy rather than project by project or parcel by parcel.

Clean energy projects being reviewed include solar, wind, closed loop pumped storage hydropower, biodigesters, and small-scale modular nuclear reactors. Dams were omitted from the study which was concern to many who were present particularly that the focus on other models will negate the contribution of dams. It was explained that dams are well established as the top clean energy contributor in the state whereas others can be more developed.

Besides the data obtained from the community meetings and the state-wide virtual meeting, information is being gathered from individual and small-group discussions, as well as case studies and other financial and economic data collection and analysis. The study is anticipated to be completed and presented to the Department of Commerce in October and then can be used to inform policies and programs to increase opportunities and reduce negative impacts from renewable energy development in rural Washington.

Kieran Bunting, a senior associate with Industrial Economics, Inc. then presented more information specific to the financial and economic analysis of rural clean energy including taxes, financial returns to landowners and land-use impacts. In the study, 10 projects are being analyzed that were developed since 2019 including six that are operating and four that are developing. All are solar or wind projects with one that includes storage.

Bunting said the data they have currently indicates that the financial return to landowners for leasing project sites is a great benefit and the taxes collected for each boosts local tax collections. However, when state sales tax rebates are given and as the personal property depreciates, the tax revenues are reduced. The maximum life expectancy of a wind turbine is 30 years. As it ages and depreciates so do the tax revenues. Questions arose from attendees about the infrastructure disposal when turbines or parts age out and how that may negate the benefit of the clean energy they produce. The study does not include analysis of this question.

Though clean energy projects bring jobs, some argue that they do not always bring local jobs. The construction companies can be out of state and once the construction of the projects is complete, ownership of them can change to international companies. Representative Joe Schmick cited the case of the wind farms in Garfield County now being owned by an Australian company. He went on to point out when the project's property assessed value decreases, it impacts the money that can be collected or asked for (as in the case of levies) to fund local entities including the schools.

Some of the challenges to clean energy projects the consultants shared they have learned about include technical and staff capacity, lack of direct benefits to communities, lack of siting optimization, impact on viewsheds and recreation, experiences with unsustainable government programs, transmission and distribution capacity, skepticism around the need to decarbonize Washington's energy system and lack of local involvement in decision making. The discussion groups offered additional challenges. The small or community scale concerns given were the impact on dams as clean energy develops, excluding other clean energy sources like agriculturally produced methane, not promoting home or community-based power operations, not considering alternator-based energy sources, and the impact of turbines on wildlife and health. Some of the concerns were the same for the large-scale aspect of clean energy. Additional challenges given was that energy projects drive income inequality and the low price of wheat creating big farms, the cost-effectiveness of building projects locally but having to transmit the power to the other side of the state, and the lack of local control over projects.

The main benefit for the clean energy development is the jobs it creates as seen locally with Puget Sound Energy. Some of the key takeaways and next steps are considering additional ways to develop clean energy and ways for communities to directly use the power created locally. The information will be provided later for the state-wide virtual meeting. For more information visit ruralcleanenergywashington.org.

About 50 gathered from Columbia, Garfield, Whitman, and other Washington Counties including Representatives Mary Dye, Joe Schmick, and Perry Dozier among others.