Letter: Money in the wind

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 16, 2014

There’s been a lot of talk about economic recovery across the country. With reports of an improving job market, underwater mortgages coming up for air, and record high levels in the stock market, the economy appears on the upswing. But far too many communities across Oregon are still facing budgetary problems, and an economic recovery still feels out of reach.

In the mid-Columbia Gorge, we’ve had a very different story. Insulated from most of the devastating impacts of the recession, our communities have continued to thrive during the downturn and beyond. What makes our counties different from others? Wind power.

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Developing our state’s wind resources has been an economic lifeline for our rural communities. The price of wind energy dropped over 50 percent from the heights of the recession in 2008, all while the technology became more efficient. As a result, demand for renewable electricity significantly increased and developers searched for the ripest areas to build wind farms — right in our backyards.

Everyone who lives in, and east of, the Columbia Gorge understands the mighty power of our wind. In the past six years, wind energy development has nearly tripled, and there is more potential on the horizon. In fact, there is enough wind in Oregon to meet more than 175 percent of the state’s current electricity needs.

In counties such as Sherman, Morrow, Gilliam, Umatilla and Union, wind farms have brought in tens of millions of dollars in public revenue. Sherman County provides a perfect example of the benefits of wind development.

In a little over a decade, Sherman has received $53.4 million in additional tax revenue and payments from wind energy projects — more than the county’s property tax revenue. This injection of funds allows county governments to invest in new schools, public buildings, infrastructure and projects that improve the lives of all those who reside in them.

Even for towns that don’t have wind farms, such as The Dalles in Wasco County, they still benefit from the construction and ongoing operational work associated with wind farms in nearby counties. On a typical day, it’s common to see white pickups with wind service logos commuting to wind farms in the area.

Large-scale wind is an economic success for our region. With an increase in wind energy jobs, we’ve seen a boom in other industry jobs as well, including food service, lodging and vehicle and real estate sales.

While the benefits of large-scale wind energy development in the Columbia Basin are enormous, our state also has a wide variety of renewable resources that could be tapped in areas outside of the Columbia basin. Biomass, solar, tidal, hydro, waste-to-energy and geothermal renewable projects can be the economic motors for many communities all across our state. If we continue to harness these resources in a smart, efficient way, we will all greatly benefit, much like the mid-Columbia Gorge counties did — from the economic power of harnessing renewable electricity.

With the new year soon approaching, it is my hope we stay true to our pioneer spirit and expand wind power and other renewable sources that make our state more energy independent — it’s the Oregon way.

— Don Coats is the owner of Coats Ranch in Rufus, Oregon. He lives in The Dalles.

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