Editor:

Horizon Wind Energy would like to take this opportunity to comment on the current status of our Simpson Ridge Wind Energy Project.

While the wind resource is unarguably the greatest in our global portfolio as the world's third largest wind company and the project has strong local support, Horizon decided not to file our Industrial Siting Council permit application until there is greater regulatory certainty regarding the Endangered Species Act and the sage grouse listing decision.

As good stewards of the land and partners in the community, Horizon is committed to scientifically valid research efforts to determine how and to what level wind energy development can occur within sage grouse core area habitat without reducing sage grouse populations and has initiated a research collaborative to address this need. We are confident there are mitigation strategies that can be pursued and shared to promote sage grouse conservation, protect habitat, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make our county more secure.

Additionally, Horizon has initiated and is primarily funding a robust, collaborative telemetry research study that is focused on our proposed project area; however, the study is collecting data on sage grouse response from the neighboring PacifiCorp Seven Mile Hill Wind Project. With the uncertainty regarding our project, the future of this research is in jeopardy.

We look forward to working with the local community and are hopeful this project will come to fruition. The Simpson Ridge Wind Farm will help protect the legacy of the Wyoming family ranch, create good-paying jobs, and contribute our fair share in property taxes to support essential community services and local businesses while strictly adhering to environmentally sound practices.

NATE SANDVIG, Portland, Ore.

Horizon Wind Energy