Pentagon drops opposition to big Oregon wind farm

By Scott Learn, The Oregonian
April 30, 2010, 9:45PM
Under heavy political fire, the Pentagon has dropped its opposition to the huge Shepherds Flat wind energy farm in north-central Oregon, a decision that brings construction jobs, royalties and taxes to two counties that badly need them.

The Pentagon, at the urging of the Air Force, had stopped Shepherds Flat because of concerns that 338 towering turbines planned in Gilliam and Morrow counties would scramble radar signals from a station built outside Fossil in 1958.

On Friday, Oregon Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., announced the Pentagon had agreed to allow the project, the largest in the United States, to go forward.

Their lobbying of the Obama administration included discussions with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Rahm Emanuel, White House chief of staff. Wyden and Merkley also placed holds on three Defense Department nominees in protest.

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/04/air_forces_drops_opposition_to.html

as some of us old hippies might say :-)