A strong majority of Kittitas County voters support the development of wind farms within the county, including Desert Claim, according to a recent poll.

The survey found strong support in favor of wind farm development:

• 78 percent of county voters support the development of area wind farms.


• Voters who were aware of Desert Claim supported it by a two-to-one margin.


• Only 9 percent of those surveyed opposed wind farm development. Another 13 percent had no opinion.

Among the 78 percent who supported wind farm development, the most frequently cited reason was support for alternative energy (53 percent of the supporters). Supporters also said that the county has plenty of wind, wind farms are a good idea, they're cost-effective, and the county is a good location for them.

The most common reason for opposition was wind farms' visual impact. Several opponents said the county is a bad location, while several others cited property impacts.

The survey was conducted in February 2007 by Moore Information, a public-opinion research firm based in Portland, Ore. It was conducted for enXco, developer of the Desert Claim wind farm.

When specifically asked about the Desert Claim project, a total of 40 percent of all those surveyed said they were aware of the Desert Claim wind farm proposal. Of those, 53 percent said they supported it. Only 28 percent were opposed. Another 20 percent had no opinion.

A total of 61 percent of everyone surveyed - both those who were aware of Desert Claim and those who weren't - supported the proposed wind farm after being told only that it would be located on rural land about eight miles northwest of Ellensburg.

After hearing other factual statements about Desert Claim, support for the wind farm rose to 70 percent of all those surveyed. Facts drawing the most favorable responses included:

• $1.4 million in new tax revenues generated annually for schools and other services


• The wind farm's location in a major power transmission corridor, eliminating the need to build new power lines.


• Desert Claim's donation of funds for a new fire station in the Reecer Creek Road area.


• The wind farm's capacity to provide power to nearly 60,000 homes. (The project has been reduced in size to supply nearly 50,000 homes since the survey was conducted.)


• Its ability to serve the state's growing population, expected to increase by 2 million people in the next 25 years.


• Lease income to support wind-farm area landowners' agricultural and cattle ranching operations.


• New jobs and millions of dollars for the Kittitas County economy.