Washington state agriculture director Derek Sandison has excused himself from a council considering whether to allow the Horse Heaven wind and solar project to be built on farmland in Benton County.

In a resignation letter to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, Sandison cited scheduling conflicts with upcoming deliberations. He already had missed eights days of hearings on the proposal in August.

Efforts to reach Sandison Oct. 25 for further comment were unsuccessful.

Scout Clean Energy’s application to install more than 200 wind turbines and 6,000 acres of solar panels has raised questions about how much Eastern Washington farmland will be lost to renewable energy projects.

Benton County argues that such a large wind and solar project does not belong on land zoned for agriculture. A wheat grower, however, told EFSEC that lease payments would stabilize farm incomes.

The agriculture department does not have a permanent seat on EFSEC, but Sandison opted to exercise the department’s option and join the council to review Horse Heaven, which would be the state’s largest renewable energy installation.

With or without Sandison, most EFSEC voting members represent agencies that answer to Gov. Jay Inslee. EFSEC will forward a recommendation to the governor. Other agency directors appointed subordinates to the council.

A final environmental impact statement is due out by Oct. 31.

EFSEC environmental planner Sean Greene told the council last week the wind and solar development would do significant and unavoidable harm to views, recreation and tribal cultural properties.

Horse Heaven wind and solar project seen as threat to tribal properties