Clean energy projects highlighted at annual ACDC banquet

Construction of Washington state's largest solar farm in Lind, new city branding for Ritzville and Othello and the publishing of Adams County Magazine are among the list of accomplishments the Adams County Development Council presented in its 2018-19 annual report.

The report was released during a banquet in Othello on June 27. After ACDC manager Janis Rountree presented the report, attendees heard from Washington State University President Kirk Schulz.

ACDC was formed in 2007 and has a volunteer board of directors. According to its website, ACDC's mission is to "enhance, retain and attract commercial, industrial and agricultural growth, development and diversity within Adams County and its cities, towns and ports."

Among the accomplishments listed in the annual report is the building of a 200-acre solar farm in Lind, featuring more than 80,000 solar panels.

"It is projected that it will increase the local tax revenue by $200,000 a year," Rountree said in her presentation.

Rountree said the solar farm represents the council's first renewable energy project. Ground broke on the project in May 2018 and it was dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony in October 2018.

"[The solar farm] is quite a thing to see," Rountree said. "We probably won't hold the title of largest solar farm in Washington for long, but we'll take it while we have it."

Rountree also talked about the planned Rattlesnake Flat Wind Project. Avista has announced it will purchase energy generated from this project. It is a wind-energy facility being developed by renewable-energy developer Clearway Energy Group.

According to the ACDC report, the facility will provide Avista with renewable energy as part of a 20-year deal, beginning in 2020.

Another highlight of the year is new branding for Othello and Ritzville. ACDC worked with the two cities to create the taglines, "Ritzville, Harvest the Legacy" and "Othello, Abundant Land. Bountiful Life."

ACDC also held booths at 12 trade shows in an effort to recruit businesses to Adams County, and worked with the county and the Columbia Basin Herald to produce Adams County

Magazine.

Financial information was also included in the report. ACDC began the fiscal year with $88,765. It brought in $100,500 revenue while spending $93,825 for a net gain of $6,675.

Schulz updated the crowd on what WSU is doing and how it contributes to Washington. He said the fact that the school has several campuses across the state helps it address the needs of the state as a whole.

"We have six campuses," Schulz said. "We like to talk about Pullman. We have Spokane where our health sciences are focused. The Tri-Cities campus has a very strong STEM focus ... WSU is everywhere. And it's important that we are seen as the university that is bringing solutions to the challenges that we see in our state, be it in rural areas or urban areas. From the coast all the way to the Inland Northwest."