In the minutes after Umatilla County commissioners made theirdecision to approve tougher requirements for wind turbines, somepeople celebrated.

Others proclaimed it would be the end of the wind power business inUmatilla County.

Even the commissioners themselves were split, with CommissionerBill Hansell voting against the two-mile setback requirement.

Exactly how these changes will affect wind power development hasyet to be seen, but wind power advocates say it means the end todevelopment in the county.

John Audley, deputy director from Renewable Northwest Project, agroup advocating renewable energy, said he watched UmatillaCounty’s lawmaking process closely. he was disappointed in theresult.

“I read this as the county saying go someplace else,” hesaid.

He was particularly taken by a map with two-mile setback circlesaround homes in a portion of Umatilla County. Those circles coveredalmost all the space on the map.

“There’s no opportunity for development,” Audley said. “My sense isthat’s what the county wanted to say. They felt it was important tojust say no.”

Elaine Albrich, with Stoel Rives of Portland, said likewise. Shewas personally at the meetings the county held, advocating for windcompanies.

“While we understand the board had a difficult decision to make, weare disappointed in the outcomes and the process,” she said. “Theimpacts of the code amendment will vary from project to project butoverall I can anticipate less economic development in the countyfrom renewable energy development.”

Umatilla County Planning Director Tamra Mabbott said from herperspective, the changes to the laws will not close the door towind development.

“We have clear objective standards designed to balance the interestof the developers and the interests of folks who will live near thedevelopment,” she said. “It’s not at all intended to foreclosedevelopment opportunities.”

In the past 15 years, Umatilla County has seen nine wind poweroperations sited in the county. That doesn’t necessarily mean theyhave been built, they’ve just passed the paperwork to be allowed tobuild.

There were three in 2009, two in 2002 and one each in 1997,2001,2008 and 2011.

 The 2011 wind farm — a roughly 100 megawatt project from a companycalled WKN Chopin LLC — started its paperwork in February, so itwill not be subject to the new laws. It is still going through itspermitting process, Mabbott said.

Any wind power companies applying after the commissioners madetheir decision Tuesday would have to go through the newprocess.

The biggest procedural change, she said, will be in thepre-application process. rather than just consulting with otheragencies, the county, the company and those agencies will have ameeting.

“With the pre-application meeting we get those comments right upfront” Mabbott said. “That’s helpful for everybody involved,particularly with a real big project.”

The county regulations only apply to operations 105 megawatts andsmaller. Larger operations are sited through the state.

Then it goes through the Energy Facility Siting Council.

Bryan Wolfe, of Hermiston, is chairman of that council, and he andhis colleagues have been keeping an eye on the changes happening inUmatilla County.

“I know Umatilla County has done what they feel is necessary forthem,” Wolfe said.

The siting council, too, has seen a need to revamp rules at thestate level.

The council’s last two meetings bled with frustration over theinadequacy of the current rules.

The last two meetings have dealt with the Helix Wind Power Facilitysite amendment, doubling the size of the project. though severalmembers expressed dissatisfaction with that jump in size, the windcompany met all the regulations, and the council approved it.

But even as the council members did so, they said things need tochange. They’ve been waiting for the Legislature to wrap up beforeit begins that review.

Those state rules, set by the Legislature, haven’t changed in abouta decade, Wolfe said.

“We should, in light of the knowledge we have, we should startupdating things,” Wolfe said. “Yes, we are very aware of what thecounty is doing.”

When the state permits a wind farm application that would be placedin Umatilla County it considers local rules.

“When we site a project within a county,” Wolfe said, “the countyhas to sign off on their rules. And if the rules are more stringentthan ours, then that will come into play in our decision for astate certificate.”

Wolfe was unsure if Umatilla County’s tougher standards, like thetwo-mile setback or the protection of the Walla Walla Watershed,would set a precedent in other counties.

Planing offices in Morrow, Union and Gilliam Counties said yes,they were aware of what Umatilla County was doing, but they did notknow if it would affect them. Gilliam County — which, along withMorrow County, is where the largest wind farm in the world,Shepherds Flat, is planned — said it likely wouldn’t be affectedbecause it is farther away from Umatilla County.

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