GOODING, Idaho — A public meeting of the Gooding County Commission saw a packed house, as Arevia Power representatives gave a presentation about the Taurus Wind Energy proposal. Materials from the presentation are available on the Gooding County website.
- The study area encompasses 50,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands and could see up to 150 wind turbines.
- It is the third large wind energy project being proposed on public lands in the Magic Valley, and many local residents have voiced concerns over the scale and impacts multiple large infrastructure projects like these would have on the high desert.
- Arevia Power representatives said they expected the Taurus project to enter the Federal NEPA process in late 2025, and construction could begin in late 2027, with operations beginning in 2029.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
A proposed wind energy project in Jerome, Gooding, and Lincoln Counties could produce 600 megawatts of power, using 50,000 acres of public lands to do it.
No, it's not Lava Ridge, but it's not far off.
Taurus Energy Project is the second of three major wind energy projects proposed for the Magic Valley, and this week representatives from Arevia Power made presentations to county commissions in Jerome and Gooding.
"Really, it's all on BLM land and so we have no jurisdiction over that at all," Gooding County Commissioner Mark Bolduc told me.
The Taurus Wind Project is in its early stages. The study area is 50,000 acres, and could ultimately have an estimated 150 wind turbines with a hub height of 350 feet, for a total height of around 650 feet.
Bolduc told me the project has been looming for a few years.
"We've known some of the detail for quite a while yeah. This was the first time I've seen some of the numbers as far as what potential revenue could be to the county and the different entities and so forth, but this is a lot more than just money," Bolduc said.
Arevia's David Lundgren told the commissioners that the construction phase of the project could contribute $37 million dollars in estimated economic growth, and the 30-year operation phase of the project could produce $35 million in tax revenue to the county.
"In addition to the wind resource, the available transmission, the other piece we look at is low conflict areas for development on BLM lands," Lundgren said.
The meeting was attended by farmers, ranchers, and other citizens, as well as two state legislators, Rep. Jack Nelsen and Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld.
"If we get Lava Ridge, and then this project, and then Salmon Falls, we basically have a Bermuda triangle," Zuiderveld said. "If all of those take place, have they done a study of all of the impact that it's going to have on ag and everything? Because, basically, it's going to change the climate and everything that we do here."
Rancher John Arkoosh was one of several people who voiced concern that the planning studies would take local concerns seriously
"This project that you're doing is affecting my family on three different allotments, and Lava Ridge is affecting us on another one," Arkoosh said. "We've spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting Lava Ridge, and it's really piling up on us — it's already having a big negative impact on us."
