The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners granted an exemption to allow a solar farm on 80 acres of high-value farmland.

Commissioners and county staff noted the area does not have a water right and has never produced crops, and its high-value designation has to do with state rules and the site residing within the Columbia Valley American Viticulture Area, which applies to much of the county.

The Umatilla Electric Cooperative sought the exemption to expand its Moyer-Tolles Solar Station on the south side of Highway 730 near McNary on the exclusive farm use land. The county planning commission in February voted 4-3 against the exemption. The county board of commissioners held a public hearing on the matter Wednesday morning in Pendleton.

Tamra Mabbott, county planning director, told the board the planning commission discussed the policy “conundrum” of abiding state rules to protect farmland while the state also mandates utilities to deliver renewable energy.

UEC over the next 15 years, she stated in her report, must provide 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources to meet that mandate. Mabbott said assistant planner Brandon Seitz reviewed industrial land within UEC’s service area in Umatilla County and came up with a “thumbnail sketch” showing about 320 acres are suitable for solar or other renewable energy.

The utility, however, will need 600-700 acres to meet its 100 megawatt requirement of renewable energy.

“I don’t see any way around it for UEC to take farmland parcels that aren’t productive,” Mabbott said.

Tommy Brooks, attorney for UEC, told the board the site is near electrical transfer lines and would not affect nearby farms. While some industrial land is available, he said, those sites would require electrical infrastructure and thus cost more, as well as create a “patchwork” of solar arrays around the county.

Dave Price, with Blue Mountain Alliance, spoke against the development. The land is not in production now, he said, but could be in the future. And if the county allows the expansion on this 80 acres, UEC and other energy companies will ask for more.

Brooks countered granting this exemption would not set precedent because each case would have its own set of unique facts to consider.

Commissioner George Murdock said he wanted to be clear “UEC would not be warmly received by one commissioner” if its plans took a crop out of production.

“If we’re going to have solar power, we’re going to have to have it somewhere,” he said, “and if we find enough scab ground to put in on, I’m fine with that.”

Commissioner Bill Elfering said this comes down to the highest and best use of the land, and in this case that’s solar generation.

Larry Givens, board chairman, asked how soon the project would begin development. Robert Echenrode, UEC general manager, said the project is in a two-year planning phase and development would take at least three years. The company also will have to ask the county for a separate conditional use permit for the solar panels.

County commissioners voted 3-0 to allow the exemption for the solar expansion.

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Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833.