Community Action for Responsible Environmental Stewardship
We are in a legal battle to save the Horse Heaven Hills and the Tri-Cities region from being significantly impacted by a huge wind turbine project.
Photography Credits to John Clement.
We are fighting to protect and save the ferruginous hawk nests, wildlife habitat & migration corridors, cultural resources, and property values dependent on natural skylines.
The Horse Heaven Hills Wind project is huge - it stretches 26 miles west to east and eight miles north to south, from south of Benton City all the way to Finley.
The proposed 231 - 496 foot high turbines or 150 - 671 foot high turbines will cause significant environmental, health and safety issues along with significant adverse negative impacts on wildlife, cultural resources, recreation, agriculture, the wineries, tourism, real estate property values, and the local economy.
Tri-Cities C.A.R.E.S. is dedicated to educating the public and working with local governments and organizations to protect the interests of the citizens who will be impacted by this project.
We a registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and are funded by donations only, almost entirely from individual citizens.
Photography courtesy of Mr. Ivar Husa.
This project will harm all of us.
Visual Impacts will likely result in a reduction in real estate property values of 20 to 30 percent.
EFSEC originally made very clear findings regarding the severity of the visual impacts. They found “the Project, as proposed, would visually transform the region and, due to the location of wind turbines along ridgelines, be especially impactful on the communities of Benton City and the City of Kennewick due to an undesirable “skylining” effect.
They clearly stated, that “…The Project would have a significant visual impact on the region that is impossible to fully mitigate. Wind turbines should be excluded at least from ridgeline portions of the site where they would be prominently visible.”
They also concluded, “...further mitigation measures, to include elimination and removal of multiple turbines, must be required in order to minimize the visual impact of the Project on the Tri-Cities region and on Yakama Nation TCPs.”
Without explanation, the Governor’s Remand Order from October 18, 2024, ignores the Council’s findings and says that mitigations should not be required.
This is one of Tri-Cities CARES major legal issues. The turbines will be visible from all over Tri-Cities. As of January 2024, the average selling price of homes in Tri-Cities was $447,800. The economic losses will be significant. The closer to the project you are, the greater the impact will be. This is what we are fighting to prevent.
This shows what the view will look like from Badger Mountain.
How will the visual impacts affect you? See for yourself. Look at the computer simulations from residential community locations all over the Tri-Cities here.
To Sue or Not to Sue is No Longer a Question
As of December 2, 2024, Tri-Cities CARES, Benton County and the Yakima Nation have all filed Petitions for Judicial Review. Take a few minutes to learn what we have accomplished and what we now need to do. Here’s the link: Lawsuits Filed — Tri-Cities C.A.R.E.S.
This is the final battle. 
Can You Help? Get Involved!
You can help any number of ways! Help us spread the word, do research, talk to local groups and organizations, donate time or art, or help with fundraising. No matter what your age or skills are, please contact and let us know what you are interested in.
This is the Final Battle. In order to keep fighting, we need your help. Every dollar will be spent with care on legal expenses required to present the best possible case.
Please make a donation. We thank you!
Photography Credit John Clements
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“Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them.” — Aldo Leopold
Image Credit: Gary Wing