County Officials Fear China Mountain Wind Project May Be In Jeopardy

Twin Falls County officials are afraid that the China Mountain Wind Project in southern Twin Falls County might be a dead issue now.  The Times News reports today that NV Energy, a Nevada utility company, had been working with RES Americas to build the 170 turbine wind farm in the China Mountain area but that company recently announced its decision to pull out of the project.  Twin Falls County officials say the recent decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the sage grouse in that area warranted protection, thereby delaying the project at least two years, could have been the cause.  NV Energy officials didn’t give a reason for pulling out.  The project would encompass nearly 26,000 acres in southwest Twin Falls County and would have provided a number of jobs in the area.  The project has been in the works for about ten years.  Conservation groups applauded the decision by NV Energy saying the project would have been a threat to sage grouse habitat.  Officially, the project is still underway but local officials indicate this is a major blow.