Slow down the rush of siting wind turbines in our Blue Mountains

Successive generations of children growing up in Eastern Oregon may never know we were once surrounded by an expansive and majestic landscape devoid of wind turbines. Already the foothills that display a beauty all their own are becoming something of an anomaly.

Wind turbines - and the necessity of high-voltage power lines to access the energy they produce - are the most recent threat to our Blue Mountains.

The initial step in the wind turbine issue begins Thursday, when the Umatilla County Planning Commission holds the first of several meetings to consider a local proposal to protect a chunk of our county as a viewshed (a subsequent meeting is set for July 23).

The commission's charge will be to decide whether the area is a "significant resource" to protect.

Of that, there is no doubt. That means the next steps - including an analysis of economic, environmental, energy and social impacts - will determine the future of wind turbines in northeastern Umatilla County. We ask for a slow, thoughtful process that provides a reasonable set of guidelines. Those guidelines must consider a balanced approach.

While we strongly support the environmental benefits of wind energy, we also must remember that wind is an emerging technology. There are many unanswered questions about it.

The wind isn't a consistent source of energy, for example, something highly important to energy resource managers. The wind also blows primarily at night, when energy usage is at its lowest. So, storage of electricity becomes a major issue.

Other concerns include the effect on wildlife - for example, sediment runoff from the roads necessary for the operation of the wind turbines could negatively effect salmon runs. There's also the potential harm to birds and the possible negative impact of noise on elk herds. One thing is for sure: There needs to be much more independent research on wind energy.

The rush to obtain wind turbine easements and leases by a number of new companies - including some foreign-based firms - is also a concern. Just ask some of the landowners in oil- and gas-rich states how they or their relatives were duped by wildcat well exploration drillers. There is also the troubling issue about what happens if the turbines become obsolete or are abandoned. There are many areas of this country where the extraction of coal and other natural resources have left the land scarred and almost worthless. Rusting oilfield equipment is also commonplace in the Southwest U.S.

We know contracts for wind turbine leases have provided an economic boon for some in this region at a time when it was desperately needed. Lands that offered a marginal subsistence are, at least for now, somewhat economically viable. That's important for the health of the region.

To that end, we urge a strong measure of caution as we seek to balance the short- and long-term benefits to our economy from this new source of revenue with the overarching need to preserve our viewscape now and for future generations.

Thousands of wind turbines are already marching across vast areas of Eastern Oregon - many are almost obscured from sight. Does it not make sense to continue developing out-of-sight wind farms without completely submitting our entire panorama to a parade of towering steel sentinels? After all, these are not small structures. These are massive structures - up to 400-500 feet in height. By comparison, the KOIN Center in Portland is 509 feet tall.

We wonder, in retrospect, if Celilo Falls would vanish if the decision on hydro power was being made today. Are there areas so important for their beauty they merit preservation? Could we have harnessed the potential of the Columbia River without sacrificing a natural wonder? Today, there's not an inch of Eastern Oregon where the Columbia still flows freely.

Certainly, Eastern Oregon is a resource-based economy. Our land, our timber and our water have long contributed to our well-being. We attempt to carefully use what we have to sustain our economy. It's a delicate balance between the present economy and choices that could obliterate the landscape.

We simply ask for a dose of good sense in siting decisions. While we can't totally harness the wind, we can demand a slow and thoughtful process for the placement of wind turbines in our region.

To achieve that, the county - as well as the state - should not approve random sitings without a master plan. That will require time and cooperation. The first step begins Thursday.