PCM won’t appeal state ruling
I am writing to share some important news on behalf of the board of trustees of Pullman Community Montessori (PCM). On May 31, at a special meeting of the Washington State Charter School Commission, commissioners voted to revoke the charter for Pullman Community Montessori, meaning that we will have to close our school at the end of this school year. Although we did have an opportunity to appeal the decision, after many hours of thought and consultation with legal and financial advisers, our current board members decided that appealing the revocation is not in the best interest of our school community. In a nutshell:
The commissioners seem to have made up their mind already. The chance of a successful appeal seems very small.
The appeal process will be very costly at a time when funds are low.
We have no control over the appeal timeline. We do not want to be in a state of uncertainty throughout the summer and beyond. This would not be good for current staff and families, and future enrollment.
Even if we successfully appealed the revocation decision, our financial situation would be insecure. With razor-thin margins, we could not guarantee that we would have enough money to cover contingencies. This might lead to a mid-year closure, which is worse than closing at the end of this school year.
We thank everyone who has joined us in supporting the school — past and present board members, families, staff and our partners. We have worked together through many challenges and built a strong community.
Beverley Wolff
(on behalf of the board of PCM)
Pullman
Wind turbines pose serious threat
Some property owners are signing leases to permit Vestas-American Wind Technology to develop a 25,000-acre wind turbines complex adjacent to Kamiak Butte, a National Natural Landmark in Whitman County.
Kamiak Butte regularly closes in late summer because of fire danger, since the Palouse, averaging only 21 inches of rain annually, making it among the most arid areas of Washington state. Why would the county and state permit a corporation to site a known major fire hazard near the communities of Colfax and Palouse, posing threats to people, wildlife and the environment?
A public document indicates that these “Harvest Hills” turbine towers could reach 699 feet, taller than the Washington Monument (555 feet) and the Space Needle (605 feet). Recent peer-reviewed research articles and industry publications both demonstrate consensus that even less towering wind turbines make it difficult to fight turbine fires. Such fires often are just left to burn themselves out. Unfortunately, even a brief turbine fire can spread quickly in high wind. Obviously, this poses extreme danger in the Palouse.
Fires represent the second-most common cause of reported accidents in wind turbines and have been increasing in frequency in recent years, not decreasing. Even in 2014, the industry estimated that a typical wind farm will experience one to two fires over 20 years. Nevertheless, the wind industry has acknowledged that these figures represent under-reporting.
Potential financial benefits to individual landowners and outside corporate investors pale next to the threats of a catastrophic turbine fire for farms and towns on the Palouse.
Let’s support innovative opportunities to grow renewable energy that do not have counter-productive outcomes for local communities and environment. Please join me, a 35-year resident of Whitman County, in asking our county commissioners to enact an immediate emergency moratorium on industrial wind turbine development in Whitman County.
Erica Austin
Pullman
Take a closer look at wind farms
Recently Harvest Hills Wind introduced us to their intended development of a wind complex of 45 turbines in the vicinity of Kamiak Butte. They have presented themselves as wanting to be good neighbors and to work with our communities. Harvest Hills has told us they want to benefit us by expanding our tax base, helping our schools, and providing new jobs to the area.
Harvest Hills. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Power for 90,000 homes and new money for the county, how wonderful. What’s a few wind turbines among friends? Aren’t they supposed to be good for the environment? Right?
Let’s have a look at Harvest Hills.
They have canvassed the area and signed contracts with landowners in the area surrounding Kamiak Butte well in advance of the knowledge of their neighbors.
There’s a lot we don’t know. Here’s one for starters. There is a letter that is public information from the Federal Aviation Administration to Harvest Hills in response to their application for 95, not 45, wind turbines in the shadow of Kamiak Butte. The letter says these new machines will be 699 feet tall. The Space Needle is 604 feet tall. Most of the land Harvest Hills wants is already 2,500 to 3,000 feet above sea level. Put a 699-foot wind turbine on it and some of these monstrosities will be higher than both Steptoe and Kamiak buttes. You will be able to see wind turbines anywhere you can see either of these two iconic landmarks. You will be able to see them from Pullman. You will be able to see them from Idaho. I’ll bet you didn’t know that. When was Harvest Hills going to tell you?
Bill Myers
Colfax
