Cold comfort farm

Construction on Nevada’s first wind farm began this month in Spring Valley, about 30 miles east of Ely. Constructed by Pattern Energy Group, the 150 megawatt project is estimated to produce enough energy to power 45,000 homes, as well as create 225 jobs during construction and up to 13 full-time permanent positions once it’s up and running.

CEO Mike Garland said Pattern will provide funding for sage grouse, modify electrical lines to reduce risks to birds and install and advanced radar system to monitor birds and bats and will allow the company to turn off the turbines when species are identified in the area.

However, a lawsuit that seeks to stop the project is currently in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Three Native American tribes, the Western Watersheds Project and Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit in January, claiming the Bureau of Land Management gave “fast track” approval of the project without preparing a full environmental impact statement. The parties say the farm could harm a million Mexican free-tailed bats during their fall migration, as well as culturally sensitive areas.

In March, the U.S. District Court for Nevada denied the parties’ request for an injunction to block construction of the wind farm. The project is expected to generate more than $20 million in tax revenue for White Pine County and the state’s Renewable Energy Fund over the next 20 years. NV Energy will purchase the energy produced. The company says the project should be complete in about a year.