Survivors of Japanese American WWII Incarceration Camp Fear Proposed Wind Farm Will Erase Historical Significance of Minidoka Site
Magic Valley's proposed Lava Ridge Wind Farm, supporting the Biden Administration's climate change goals, faces backlash from survivors of the WWII Minidoka incarceration camp who fear the 400 turbines planned will erase the memory and sanctity of the site.
- Minidoka, located in Jerome, Idaho, was one of the incarceration camps where over 13,000 Japanese American men, women, and children were incarcerated during World War II due to feared security risks linked with their ancestry.
- The Lava Ridge Wind Farm project, aimed at supporting the Biden Administration's climate change goals, is planning to erect 400 wind turbines near the site. If approved by the Bureau of Land Management, this project stands to disrupt the sanctity of the Minidoka site.
- Survivors, descendants, and allies of Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated express profound concern that the construction and operation of the wind turbines will erase the memory and historical significance of the incarceration camp.
- The centuries-old tradition of pilgrimages to the site would be at risk, with many fearing that the wind turbines would disrupt the serene atmosphere that aids in the healing process for survivors and descendants.
- There is widespread local opposition to the wind farm project due to fears of permanent damage to the isolated landscape, impact on the local aquifer, and the eradication of a significant historical landmark.
Associated Press 
Washington Post 
