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Avangrid cancels Badger Mountain solar project after Indigenous opposition

A five-year effort to build a solar farm on sacred tribal land in Eastern Washington ends after investigation exposed cultural omissions.

2 items1.1k engagement9 comments BlueskyPress

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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 2 items across 2 sources · 16h ago. Quotes are verbatim.

Avangrid, a major renewable energy developer, has withdrawn its permit application to build an industrial-scale solar facility on Badger Mountain in Eastern Washington, sacred to the Colville and Yakama tribes. A 2024 investigation by High Country News and ProPublica revealed that Avangrid and consultant Tetra Tech had omitted key archaeological and cultural information from state environmental reviews. The decision marks a rare victory for Indigenous nations in protecting ancestral lands from development.

  • Avangrid withdrew its five-year effort to build a solar farm on Badger Mountain after omitting cultural and archaeological data was exposed by journalists and tribal opposition mounted.
  • A 2024 investigation found the developer and its consultant Tetra Tech had omitted key archaeological and cultural information from state environmental reviews, despite a state archaeologist's warnings.
  • The withdrawal represents a rare win for Indigenous nations in protecting ancestral lands from development, though Avangrid's actual reasoning remains unclear.
  • Tribal nations maintained support for renewable energy while drawing a line at development on sacred sites used for ceremonies and food gathering.

How it unfolded

  1. Event Avangrid files withdrawal request

    Five days after July permitting meeting, Avangrid files request to completely withdraw its proposal.

  2. Report Permitting council formally announces withdrawal

    State's permitting authority council formally announces withdrawal of Avangrid proposal and closes out existing financial arrangements. Company does not clarify reasoning; council refers questions to developer.

  3. 5 weeks quiet
  4. Event Permitting council meeting; Avangrid requests continued pause

    At state permitting authority council meeting in July, Avangrid senior director seeks continued pause, citing anticipated construction delays. Council chair characterizes environmental and cultural concerns as "noise" but says tribal objections should be considered.

  5. 130 weeks quiet
  6. Report HCN and ProPublica publish investigation into omitted cultural data

    High Country News and ProPublica investigation finds that Avangrid and consultant Tetra Tech omitted key archaeological and cultural information from state-mandated environmental review required for the solar farm project.

  7. Reaction Tribal demonstration on Badger Mountain

    Members of the Wenatchi-P'squosa, one of the 12 Confederated Colville Tribes, hold demonstration on Badger Mountain opposing facilities on important cultural sites, while still supporting renewable energy generally.

  8. Event Avangrid announces pause to reconsider tribal input

    Following the demonstration and investigation publication, Avangrid announces it will pause development to reconsider tribal input and public response.

    “sacred sites must remain pristine to pass down to future generations”

    Cindy Marchand, Colville Tribes chair · Bluesky ↗
  9. Event Avangrid pursues Badger Mountain solar permit for five years

    Avangrid seeks permits to build industrial-scale solar facility on Badger Mountain, straddling private and public lands in Eastern Washington.

What people are saying verbatim

“While the Colville Tribes certainly appreciates the value of renewable energy such as solar power, sacred sites must remain pristine to pass down to future generations.”

Cindy Marchand, Colville Tribes chair · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 2

“The project would destroy roughly half the root vegetable harvest in the area.”

Elected member of the Colville Tribal Business Council, Tribal representative · ProPublica ↗ · Dec 31

“A 2024 investigation by High Country News and ProPublica found that Avangrid and a consultant it retained, Tetra Tech, had omitted key archaeological and cultural information from a state-mandated review of the site.”

ProPublica, News organization · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 2

“Avangrid continued pushing the project despite a state archaeologist's warning that the planned development would threaten significant historic sites and current ceremonial activity.”

ProPublica, News organization · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 2

“It's unclear whether the company's decision to cancel the project had anything to do with Indigenous rights.”

ProPublica, News organization · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 2