New York-based EverPower Wind to develop 120-MW Coyote Crest Wind Park on 3,755 acres of Weyerhaeuser's McDonald timberlands near Doty, Washington

Rachel Carter

PORTLAND, Oregon , September 10, 2009 (press release) – EverPower Wind Plans Renewable Power Project on Weyerhaeuser Timberlands

EverPower Wind Holdings Company announces that it plans to develop a 120 megawatt wind power project on timberlands leased from Weyerhaeuser Company four miles outside Doty, Washington. The “Coyote Crest Wind Park,” will be the first utility-scale wind farm built in a coastal mountain range of the Pacific Northwest. The Coyote Crest Wind Park will feature up to 50 wind turbine generators generating enough clean, renewable electricity to annually supply approximately 25,000 Northwest homes.

“EverPower is delighted to be moving forward with our first Northwest wind project," said Jim Spencer, EverPower CEO. "The Coyote Crest Project will demonstrate the unique quality of Western Washington’s wind resources and how sensitive development is compatible with commercial forestry and wildlife protection. The project,” Spencer added “will bring significant economic benefits to Lewis County.”

“This agreement will benefit both EverPower and Weyerhaeuser. The lease agreement affords EverPower the opportunity to produce clean, renewable electricity using wind technology and at the same time provides Weyerhaeuser with new income streams off our timberlands without detracting from our core mission of growing trees,” said Rich Wininger, Vice President Western Timberlands. “The company will continue to evaluate additional opportunities for wind power on our timberlands.”

“The Coyote Crest Wind Park represents a $230 million capital investment in Lewis County,” said Dick Larman, Executive Director of the Lewis County Economic Development Council. “We’re excited about how this project will diversify our local economy while building on Lewis County’s well-earned reputation as an energy center for Washington State.”

Larman cited the June 2008 study conducted for the EDC by E.D. Hovee & Company that identified the economic impact of a wind power project for the county. “With 23 new permanent jobs bringing $800,000 of new payroll into Lewis County, Coyote Crest is huge,” Larman said. “The estimated $2 million in new annual property taxes for local schools, fire districts and county government will make a real difference here.”

Pe Ell Schools Superintendent Kyle MacDonald agreed, saying, “Coyote Crest represents significant benefits to both our students and taxpayers. This wind farm will provide a broader tax base for the school system and other taxing districts. It will provide new revenue while lowering the levy rates for other local property taxpayers”

The new 120 megawatt wind park will be developed on a 3,755 acre lease area of Weyerhaeuser’s McDonald tree farm in the Willapa Hills of Western Lewis County and Eastern Pacific County. The project’s transmission line will tie into Grays Harbor Public Utility District’s existing transmission lines near Cedarville and power will flow into the Bonneville Power Administration transmission system that serves Northwest utilities.

EverPower has completed two years of detailed environmental and engineering design studies.    The company plans to apply for land use permits from Lewis County later this month. Coyote Crest is expected to come online within 18 months after securing all its required permits.

"This wind power project is an important part of our national development strategy,” said Dave McClain, vice president and general manager of EverPower’s Northwest Operations based in Portland, Oregon. “ We have done a lot of research on development of wind projects on tree farms and believe that there are significant wind resources along the crest of the coast range that can be developed for commercial power generation. Our project designs and operating plans will be compatible with on- going timber operations and utilize areas that are subject to continual rotation harvesting. This is an excellent opportunity to utilize these lands during re-growth while having very little impact on timber land operations.”

"The development of westside Washington’s wind resources will enable utilities to feed renewable energy directly into load centers such as Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia,” Said Robert Kahn, Executive Director of the Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition. “As a winter peaking resource Coyote Crest will simplify grid integration and help Washington utilities meet the renewable energy standards established by Initiative Measure No. 937.”

EverPower, a wind energy development company with offices in New York City, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Portland, Oregon, has over 1,500 megawatts of wind power projects in construction and under development in seven states. See www.EverPower.com for information about EverPower.

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 2008, sales were $8 billion. It has offices or operations in 10 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction and development. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at www.weyerhaeuser.com.

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