Your Sept. 6 editorial What makes ONDA grouse criticizing the Oregon Natural Desert Association for their position on the Echanis Wind Project misses an important point. ONDA is not picking and choosing their support on wind project sites based solely on the presence of sage grouse. There are other factors including proximity to transmission lines, existing roads to the site, wildlife mitigation potential, visual impacts, cumulative footprint, and sensitivity of the site to development in general. These criteria play an important part in where they think wind energy development in the desert is warranted. If you review their recent report on wind development, you will find that there are a number of locations that they believe may have suitable criteria for wind energy development, such as our West Butte Wind Power project.

ONDA is neither supporting or opposing the West Butte Wind Power project, but rather working with us collaboratively as a stakeholder in the outcome. They are working with Crook County as a member of the Wildlife Monitoring and Mitigation Technical Advisory Committee for the project.

In our case, they are not just saying no development, but rather are working to ensure that adverse impacts from the project are mitigated. We believe that ONDA does understand the need for wind energy development as part of an over-arching environmental strategy to address climate change and its effects on wildlife and sensitive habitats.

Sarah Rankin,

project coordinator, Pacific Wind Power LLC

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