Minidoka Survivors, Descendants and Allies Wage 11th Hour Campaign to Stop Lava Ridge Wind Project

The opponents of a proposed massive wind project in Idaho – near the site where thousands of Japanese Americans and Alaska Natives were forcibly relocated during World War II in 1942 – have a message to community members: We need your help ASAP!

The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management can approve the permit at any time! The Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee, Japanese American Citizens League, Densho, Japanese American Museum of Oregon and allies have organized the letter-writing campaign to stop the erasure of Japanese American heritage. Organizations and individuals can contact members of the U.S. Congress as a last-ditch effort to stop LSP ower, LLC’s proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project that threatens to desecrate the historic view shed of the Minidoka National Historic Site (NHS) and disrespect the memory of the more than 13,000 Japanese Americans who were once incarcerated there.

“NOW is the time to take action by asking your U.S. Senators to pass legislation to protect the solemn, reflective, and immersive experience at the Minidoka NHS from a massive, commercial wind development on public land,” said Erin Shigaki, a Minidoka descendant and activist leader. “Minidoka is a place that we reclaimed through the reparations fight and the U.S. government’s formal apology. It is a site of extraordinary pain — but also one of joy created from community care. Minidoka holds vitally important lessons for all people and should not be desecrated by corporate greed. We need everyone’s help to send a message to Capitol Hill.”

Individuals and organizations are being asked to contact their U.S. Senator(s) before the close of business on November 12, 2024.

For individuals, contact your U. S. Senator by:1. Finding your senator’s contact information at: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm.
2. Copying and pasting the letter with the suggested language at: https://www.minidokapilgrimage.org/.

For organizations, sign-on can be found at: https://forms.gle/VyXN7nUq9RheBhUb8.
Minidoka survivors like Mary (Tanaka) Abo are calling on the community and allies to write their U.S. senators supporting permanent protections for Minidoka. During World War II in 1942, Abo and her family were forcibly removed from their home in Juneau, Alaska and incarcerated at Minidoka, Block 2, Barrack 2.

“Minidoka is an important part of my family history because we still have painful memories of being imprisoned simply because we looked like the enemy,” said Abo. “I am proud that Minidoka was established as a National Historic Site. But today, Minidoka may be within sight of massive wind turbines churning the wind and ripping our memories to shreds. Lawmakers in Washington, D.C. need to know that Minidoka is an important part of American history and deserves to be permanently protected.”

If the wind turbines are allowed to be built near Minidoka, they will be seen from key areas within the historic site such as the visitor center and the honor roll that lists the names of those who served in the U.S. Army.

“For Minidoka pilgrims and visitors, the overall immersive experience of being unjustly cast out into a desert prison camp will certainly be distorted by the sight of the 660-foot wind turbines,” Abo explained. “We need to speak up now while we still have the chance – for the sake of our elders, ourselves and future generations. If you agree, write to your elected officials and have them stand with you to STOP LAVA RIDGE AND SAVE MINIDOKA.”

Federal and Idaho State Historic Preservation officials recently concluded that the numerous objections to the Lava Ridge project from the Japanese American community, Native American tribes, Idaho’s governor, legislature, congressional delegation, ranchers, farmers, recreation organizations, among many others, likely can not be successfully resolved. Despite the fierce opposition to Lava Ridge, the Bureau of Land Management can still approve the project in a record of decision that is set to be issued in the near future. U.S. Congress plans to return to D.C. on November 12 to consider a “must pass” appropriations bill to fund the government and provide disaster assistance. The Japanese American community supports legislation in the U.S House of Representatives Interior Appropriation bill and calls on senators to support the House language. The many opponents of the project hope the 11th hour letter writing campaign will persuade U.S. lawmakers to halt the project.

“The sanctity of the Minidoka National Historic Site will forever be harmed by Lava Ridge,” said Erin Shigaki. “We humbly ask our community members to write to their senators about the importance of preserving Minidoka and other sites of trauma, where people can heal and reflect. With everyone’s help, we can protect Minidoka for current and future generations.”

The Lava Ridge Wind Project is a proposed wind farm by LS Power, LLC/Magic Valley, LLC to be built on the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property next to the Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome, Idaho. The site is about the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans (Nikkei) during World War II.

This project is controversial due its impact on Minidoka’s historic past. The Nikkei community say that the visual and auditory impact of wind turbines in the background detracts from its somber nature. Robyn Achilles, executive director of Friends of Minidoka, says, “You wouldn’t build a huge wind project over… Gettysburg or the Washington Monument.” Friends of Minidoka continued its opposition to the project, including the scaled back alternatives. It is also asking for 237,000 acres around Minidoka to be protected as an “area of critical environmental concern.”

The project could also disturb natural habitats, impact sage grouse, large wildlife migration and agricultural aviation. Even the annual bird deaths are estimated at 3,240–5,654. One suggestion from the company during construction would be to pay one producer to move all their cows out of the area for a couple of years. “There’s seven different ranches that run on this allotment alone,” said John Arkoosh. “My own, there’s four generations, four families that depend on this area.” He founded the group called, Stop Lava Ridge – Idaho residents who oppose the project. Its Facebook account has more than 3,000 members. “We truly don’t believe this is good for Idaho,” Arkoosh said.

Also under the U.S. Fort Bridger Treaty of 1868, indigenous Shoshone people are allowed to hunt off the reservation on “U.S. unoccupied lands so long as game may be found.” The Shoshone-Bannock Tribe expressed concerns how the project would impact hunting as well as the night sky, which would be illuminated by safety lights on the turbines. The height of the turbines is twice the height of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington (605 feet).

U.S. President Joseph Biden signed an executive order to increase onshore renewable energy production on the Department of the Interior lands. Congress requested the BLM to increase production of renewable energy. As a result, the BLM has surpassed its goal more than a year early.