Whitman County Commissioners narrowly passes ban on commercial wind farms

County officials in Whitman County narrowly approved a strict wind farm ordinance Monday morning.

The ordinance, which passed on a 2-1 vote, prohibits commercial wind farm projects in the county. Commissioners Chad Whetzel and Tom Handy approved the ordinance, while Commissioner Art Swannack voted no.

“I don’t believe that these wind turbines, and solar for that matter, are a long-term viable solution for energy,” Whetzel said. “I think this is a good thing for the people of Whitman County, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

The long-awaited decision comes after the county imposed a moratorium in February 2025 in order to update the county’s zoning ordinance and reach an agreement with the Harvest Hills wind project. The moratorium was extended several times, including earlier this year after county officials overlooked notifying affected tribal nations in time for the vote.

Despite the decision, Steelhead Americas, the developer behind the project and the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, issued a statement saying its is still committed to developing the wind project. The company looks to build 45 wind turbines, each up to nearly 700 feet tall, that would be located on private land between Colfax and Palouse.

“Our confidence stems from our strong track record developing successful wind projects across the country,” the company states.

Steelhead Americas states it is looking at different options, including getting approval from the state.

Whetzel said that’s one of the county’s worries. If the project ends up getting approved by the state, he said Washington “can take responsibility for it later on.”

“I suspect that sometime, probably by the end of the year, beginning next year, we’ll probably be revisiting this, but that remains to be seen,” he said.