The land that the Vantage wind farm is on is scrub step. Unsuitable for anything other than being windblown hills (WDFW or DNR land previously). The last the Grayland site occupies overlooks the beaches, and the footprint is rather small. I actually know the person whose land it was (might still be his). It was a patch of jack firs before, and there are still lots of jack firs around, along with a single road and three pads about 100'x100'.

I would agree that we need to choose sites wisely and manage to a highest and best use for wind power sites. I'm no tree hugger. I would agree that the western Kittitas Valley sites might have a higher use, but that area is essentially farm land with mixed scrub step.