East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho has expressed his support for President Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum. In his statement, Risch highlighted the incoming administration's efforts to halt the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project in Idaho.

"The issue for us in Idaho right now is the Lava Ridge Windmill Project," Risch stated. "We don’t want them in Idaho. We hate windmills in Idaho. They are a tremendous blight on our viewscape." He further criticized the New Green Deal for attempting to implement 241 windmills over 100,000 acres, likening their height to that of the Space Needle.

Risch conveyed optimism about ending the project soon: "The good news is [...] that project has only got about 95 hours left to be on the table."

Additionally, Senator Risch addressed wildlife management issues, particularly advocating for delisting grizzly bears due to safety concerns: "We don’t want grizzly bears – they kill people." He recalled past challenges with wolves and emphasized building coalitions to manage such wildlife.

Risch also called upon Burgum and the Trump administration to appoint a Bureau of Land Management leader who aligns with Western states' interests. He criticized current BLM Director Tracy Stone Manning, stating: "Fortunately, she’s only got about 95 hours left."

The senator also praised Burgum's anticipated role in energy policy, focusing on nuclear energy advancements at the Idaho National Lab (INL). "Idaho is the birthplace of nuclear energy in the universe," Risch noted, emphasizing developments like small modular reactors and their potential global impact.