MichaelLang's comments:

on What Wind Means for the Gorge

Thanks to Think Out Loud for holding this forum in The Dalles. I just listened to the program on-line and would like to make the following comment:

Toward the end of the program Emily Harris said,  "In economic terms we heard that tourism is just a tiny fraction of the economy here. . ."

In fact, tourism is a major component of the Gorge economy.  I don't have hard numbers at my fingertips, but a quick search of documents turned up the following:

Hood River County's official website:

Tourism 

The many recreational attractions bring thousands of visitors to the county each year making tourism one of the largest economic sectors in the region.

Gorge Future Forum Report: (http://www.gorgecommission.org/client/FF_Final_Report_complete.pdf)

Top Changes Noted: economic shifts from natural resources to new businesses and tourism

Economy

In 2005, the top five employers of the Mid-Columbia (Hood River, Wasco, Skamania and Klickitat counties) were government, agriculture/forestry, leisure/hospitality, retail trade, education and health services.

And this from the Columbia River Gorge Commission:

2. Change in Orientation of the Gorge Economy (Broughton Final Order, PA 06-01, pages 15, 16)

Since 1991, the Gorge has experienced dramatic changes due to growth in the travel and tourism industry. Both Oregon and Washington have become increasingly reliant on tourism as a strong economic driver.

The most significant annualized growth is reflected in Skamania County, with an average increase of 11.8% for the years 1991 through 2005. The change is two to four times greater than the neighboring rural counties and the States. The considerable growth in travel and tourism in the Gorge confirms the significant socio-economic change since adoption of the Management Plan.

posted 1 year, 12 months ago
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on What Wind Means for the Gorge

I am surprised that Think Out Loud would assemble such a one-sided panel after acknowledging that some wind energy proposals, such as Cascade Wind on Seven Mile Hill, are very controversial.  OPB's listeners would surely benefit from a more balanced panel that includes representatives of groups that see both the benefits of renewable energy development and also the risks to neighboring property owners, wildlife habitat, rare or endangered plants and scenic vistas. 

In supporting renewable energy development, we have to be careful to properly site and design projects to avoid harm to other important resources. After all, wind energy development is industrial development.  Like any industrial development, wind energy facilities must be carefully sited and designed to avoid adverse impacts to the environment.  

Projects proposed on the boundaries of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, including Cascade Wind, Windy Flats and Whistling Ridge, have high likelihoods of harming wildlife habitat, killing an enormous number of birds and adversely affecting scenic resources.  For example, Windy Flats (Northeast of The Dalles) is proposed within the “Columbia Hills Important Bird Area” in Klickitat County.  This area is home to at least 13 species of raptors including bald eagles, golden eagles, peregrine and prairie falcons and ferruginous hawks. The Whistling Ridge project in Skamania County is proposed within a state designated “Spotted Owl Special Emphasis Area.” These sites also have marginal wind power classifications.  Projects have been proposed at these sites only because of close proximity to transmission lines.  These proposals have very questionable benefits when measured alongside the harm that they would cause.

posted 1 year, 12 months ago
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