Whitman County BOCC: Two Resignations

Photo of Whitman County Courthouse by Robert Ashworth

In a mass email sent on January 2nd to concerned residents, Commissioner Arthur Swannack presented what he called the only two options available in the Harvest Hills wind turbine controversy: either Whitman County permits the project locally, or the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) steamrolls the county from Olympia. Swannack’s message, while couched in the polite tones of bureaucratic inevitability, is a classic example of a false dichotomy—and one that serves more to demoralize than to inform.

Swannack begins by acknowledging the concerns raised by residents: property rights, noise pollution, environmental degradation, and threats to tourism. Yet, in a stunning sleight of hand, he swiftly dismisses every one of these issues, concluding that local government has no real power. According to Swannack, Whitman County must either acquiesce or be overruled. No middle ground. No creative solutions. Just resignation-a word that might resonate more than he intended, given Commissioner Michael Largent’s recent departure and Swannack’s own resigned attitude toward the fight.

This framing is not only defeatist but also misleading.

The Power of Local Governance

Swannack insists that Whitman County lacks the authority to regulate or restrict wind projects beyond what the state legislature explicitly allows. He claims that legal challenges based on constitutional principles, such as the non-delegation doctrine, would be doomed in court. But what he conveniently omits is that other counties have successfully slowed or reshaped industrial wind projects by updating local zoning codes and enacting moratoriums—a temporary halt on new developments to allow for thoughtful policy revisions.

In fact, counties across the country regularly use moratoriums to buy time for legal and regulatory strategy. If Swannack were genuinely committed to representing his constituents rather than rubber-stamping industrial development, he would champion a moratorium as a prudent first step. Instead, he preemptively dismisses this option, perhaps because it conflicts with the narrative of inevitability that he and his colleagues seem so eager to promote.

A False Sense of Futility

By framing the issue as a binary choice between local approval and EFSEC’s unilateral decision-making, Swannack seeks to create a sense of futility. It’s a clever strategy: if residents believe their only choices are bad and worse, they may give up the fight altogether. But this tactic only works if people accept the premise.

The truth is that Whitman County is not powerless. Commissioners can enact interim controls, revise outdated codes, and lobby the state legislature for greater local oversight. They can collaborate with other counties facing similar challenges to push back against EFSEC’s overreach. In short, they can do more than passively await the inevitable.

The Stakes Are Too High

The stakes in this fight go beyond a few dozen wind turbines. What’s at risk is the very character of the Palouse—a landscape of rolling hills, historic farms, and unspoiled views that draws tourists, photographers, and nature lovers from around the world. Allowing the Harvest Hills project to proceed without a fight would set a dangerous precedent: that corporate interests can industrialize rural communities with minimal local resistance.

Swannack would have us believe that Whitman County’s role is to either expedite the project or stand aside while Olympia imposes it. But the residents of Whitman County deserve better than this false dichotomy. They deserve leaders who will explore every legal, regulatory, and political avenue to protect their communities.

Act Now

It’s time to reject the illusion of inevitability. Residents must continue to demand a moratorium, push for code updates, and support legal challenges. Public pressure can and does make a difference—but only if it’s sustained.

Whitman County is not without options. Commissioner Swannack may have given up the fight, but the people of the Palouse have not. This is not a choice between surrender and subjugation. It’s a choice between passivity and perseverance. Let’s choose the latter.

Act Now – Email and Call Whitman County:

Commissioner Swannack’s recent email frames the Harvest Hills project as a done deal—permit it locally or let Olympia impose it. That’s a false choice.

Other counties have used moratoriums and zoning updates to slow down similar projects. Why won’t Whitman County even try? The Palouse deserves leaders who fight, not ones who give up before the battle begins.

Please, don’t resign from your responsibility. Implement a moratorium.

Send your message here.

Photo Credit: Robert Ashworth, CC-BY 2.0

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