IDAHO – Upon taking office on January 20, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to stop southern Idaho’s Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project. Lt. Governor Scott Bedke released the following statement in support of this directive to halt the progression of this contentious project:

“I applaud President Trump’s decisive action to suspend the Lava Ridge Wind Project. The BLM’s approval of it threatened to undermine the local communities’ clear opposition, remove the multi-use access to our public lands, harm the Minidoka National Historic Site, and wreak havoc on the Magic Valley’s heritage. Stopping this massive project is a clear victory for Idahoans who do not support using our backyard, complete with all the negative impacts to our farmers, ranchers, infrastructure, and resources, to fulfill California’s energy agenda.

I am committed to working with the federal government to address our nation’s domestic energy needs while actively preserving Idaho’s thriving economy, cultural legacy, and natural beauty for the next generation.”

President Trump’s executive order effectively halts the Lava Ridge Project, which would have built more than 200 wind turbines on public lands just northeast of Twin Falls, Idaho.

###