PUD Officially Pulls Plug on Tidal-Energy Project - A Win for Southern Residents
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PUD Officially Pulls Plug on Tidal-Energy Project – A Win for Southern Resident Killer Whales
Back in May 2013, a coalition of groups led by the Seattle-based non-profit Orca Conservancy, a petitioner and ultimately successful litigant in the historic U.S. District Court that led to the first-ever federal protection of Puget Sound’s Southern Resident Community of orcas under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), joined the Suquamish Tribe, the Jamestown S’Klallam and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribes, the Tulalip Tribes, OrcaLab, Naked Whale Research, Fins and Fluke, Voice of the Orcas, and the Pacific Whale Watch Association in expressing strong concerns over the installation of two four-story-tall tidal turbines off the west shore of Whidbey Island in Puget Sound’s Admiralty Inlet.
The plan had been to put two turbines on the sea floor off Whidbey Island. Tidal currents would turn the turbines, generating local, clean energy. The work never got past the developmental stage, though, and nothing was ever built. Getting that far cost nearly $8 million, took seven years, and involved working with local, state and federal agencies, the University of Washington, research labs, and others. The district couldn't cover the rest alone, PUD officials said. By that point, about $8 million had been spent on the project, including $3.5 million from the Energy Department.
That really was the end of the project, but there was “remote hope” that some other partner would step in, said Craig Collar, the PUD's current general manager and CEO. He oversaw the tidal energy project from 2006 to 2012.The Snohomish PUD, by its own admission, hoped to place these turbines squarely in the path of orcas and 12 other federally protected species listed under the ESA. Other possible sites were explored, but the Admiralty Inlet location was chosen primarily to save money in installing, maintaining and, in the event of approaching whales, manually braking the turbines to avoid injuries. The PUD had estimated the time between a report of incoming wildlife and a diver-initiated shutdown of the blades at approximately five hours. Orcas are the fastest marine mammals on the planet, capable of speeds of about 35 miles per hour.The turbines not only posed a threat to any creature coming into contact with them, they are also dangerously loud. SnoPUD admits that the blades would have produced noise source levels up to 179dBs, and that research has shown that killer whales react strongly to a received level of 135dBs – the pain threshold.If the PUD kept the license, which expires next decade, it would have to file annual progress reports with FERC, even though no work is taking place. So, giving up the license is easier. That process can take anywhere from two weeks to two months, according to FERC.“We came within a whisker of pulling this thing off,” but the PUD will not pursue tidal energy again, Collar said.“We’ve said from the beginning there clearly wasn’t enough information about the effects that these experimental turbines would have on wildlife,” explains Orca Conservancy’s President Shari Tarantino.“Green energy projects often go unchallenged by environmentalists, especially ones under water, so when we first raised concerns about this one, we were sort-of going against the current. That said, our group is fully supportive of finding alternatives to fossil fuel. We are not opposed to tidal energy in the right location, but clearly this was not it. Once again, we’re absolutely ecstatic,” continued Tarantino. “It’s a victory – and we’ll take it – especially for this endangered population.”