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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Tiny houses under fire by builders ... Local veteran's persistence pays off for all vets ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Tiny houses under fire by builders ... Local veteran's persistence pays off for all vets ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... HARNEY COUNTY Sage grouse concerns nix Harney County energy project Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 6:13 PM By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 6:13 PM » Social News BEND — A federal appeals court has killed a large wind energy project in southeast Oregon. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that an environmental review by the Bureau of Land Management failed to adequately assess the winter population of greater sage grouse at the proposed facility near Steens Mountain in Harney County. Columbia Energy Partners proposed the project for roughly 10,500 acres of private land. The project called for 40 to 69 wind turbines and a 230-kilovolt transmission line to bring the energy to the electrical grid. The BLM had approved the project, and Harney County granted a key permit. "One more lost opportunity for our community," Judge Steve Grasty, a top official in the county, told The Bulletin newspaper (https://is.gd/mhAWbu). Environmental groups challenged the BLM's environmental review of the project. It needed the environmental review partly because the transmission line's right of way would cross public lands. Greater sage grouse need sagebrush year-round for mating, nesting and rearing their broods. They also eat pretty much only sagebrush through the winter. Loss of sagebrush habitat has contributed to sage grouse population decline in Oregon. The appeals court decision said the BLM completed no surveys on whether sage grouse were at the site during the winter. "The inaccurate information and unsupported assumptions materially impeded informed decision-making and public participation," the decision said. Brent Fenty is executive director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association, a Bend-based environmental group that brought the lawsuit. He called the wind project the "right idea in the wrong place" and noted ONDA's 2009 report that analyzes wildlife habitats and landscapes in Oregon's High Desert to identify areas where wind projects would have the least impact. Fenty said "hundreds of thousands of acres" should have been considered before the Steens Mountain location. Grasty questioned the ability of courts to interpret land management-related decisions, saying land managers should be given deference because they have the expertise that courts lack. "It's incredibly frustrating," he said. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 6:13 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501