Gov. Bob Ferguson has approved a 1,300-acre solar farm in south-central Washington, calling the project a “win for our state.” The Carriger Solar project in Klickitat County is expected to generate enough power for thousands of homes. Ferguson informed the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on Tuesday that he was giving it the go-ahead. This is the first large-scale energy project Ferguson has acted on since taking office.
Ferguson told the council to talk further with Yakama Nation leaders about their concerns that protections for cultural resources were not strict enough. What emerged was the revised site certification agreement inked by Ferguson. It requires the developers provide $100,000 in one-time grant funding to the Yakama Nation Cultural Resources Program once the project is operational. Tribal access to traditional and cultural properties must be maintained during construction. Even with the grant funding, the tribe remained opposed to the project.
