Wasco County Update: Goldendale Energy Hydroelectricity Project Could Begin Construction by 2025
Get the highlights of the recent Wasco County Commission Meeting without having to sit through a three and a half hour meeting.
Meet the Commissioners: Steve Kramer, Scott Hege, and Kathy Schwartz
Welcome to Quick & Easy Wasco County Commission Update
by Cole Goodwin
The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on June 1st, 2022 and heard a presentation on the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, Wasco County Sheriff Body Camera Purchases, and the Wasco County budget hearing.
The Agenda Highlights:
Goldendale Energy Storage Project Update
Video Time: 2:29:00
Michael Rooney from Rye Development gave an update on the $2.5 billion Goldendale Energy Storage infrastructure project. Rooney said the project is expected to bring 3,000 family wage jobs to the area during the 4 years of construction and 60 permanent jobs.
Once constructed the storage project would use a closed-loop pumped storage to generate carbon-free hydroelectricity and could generate up to 1,200 megawatts of power for ten hours using two 60-acre wide water reservoirs.
The project would also be able to store solar and wind energy.
The Project Timeline:
Environmental review is expected to be completed in 2022.
Design is expected to be finished by 2024.
Construction is expected to begin in 2025-2027.
Project operations would begin in 2028.
To provide public comment on this project attend the meeting at the Goldendale Grande June 28th, from 6-8 p.m.
Watch the presentation here.
More information about the project is available here.
Body Camera Purchases
Wasco County Sheriff's Office is preparing to purchase body cameras and digital cloud storage, from HarborTech Mobility Inc. The quoted cost of the body cameras, cloud storage, and warranties totals $73,215.46.
Williams said he felt that body cameras would improve public transparency, protect the agency, and deputies. Commissioners agreed.
Wasco County Budget Hearing
Wasco County held their budget hearing for the 2022/2023 fiscal year. The 2023 budget totals $79,911,427, which is a 5.2% increase from 2022.
The 2023 Proposed Budget in order of highest to lowest budget iteams:
General Fund (The main operating fund for Wasco County): $33,394,964 (17.6% change)
General Operating Reserve: $8,469,310 (-22.5%)
Public Works Fund: $7,368,392 (5.9%)
Capital Acquisitions: $4,549,511 (17.1%)
Facility Capital Reserve: $4,505,587 (48.5%)
Building Codes General Fund: $4,135,188 (-2.8% change)
Special Economic Development: $4,028,386 (-9.1%)
Road Reserve: $3,707,355 (-30.5%)
Community Corrections operations fund for parole and probation services: $2,861,705 (38.3%)
911 Communications: $1,465,620 (-4.0%)
Household Hazardous Waste & Recycling Fund: $1,136,792 (2.3%)
Building Codes Electrical Fund: $775,749 (-9.1%)
Hunt Park Operations Fund: $717,369 (5.2%)
Forest Health Program Fund for search and rescue operations on Federal land: $501,726 (11.6%)
County Fair Fund: $470,839 (19.6%)
County School Fund: $427,541 (- 0.0%)
911 Equipment: $338,903 ( 9.9%)
Wasco County Museum: $313,385 (13.0%)
Courthouse Facilities Security $296,021 (12.9%)
Law Library: $155,401 (-6.5%)
Land Corner Preservation: $192,452 (19.6%)
Clerk Records: $54,067 (1.2%)
Kramer Field Upgrades Fund: $35,910 (0.0%)
District Attorney Victims of Crimes Fund: $6,254 (-5.9%)
Watch the full meeting here.
Read more: June 1st, 2022 Agenda & Board Packet.
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