37.2

Risk Grade

Good

Energy development is economic foundation for tiny county; excellent BPA transmission access at Columbia River corridor; strong solar and wind irradiance; county has all necessary planning infrastructure in place from wind development; among lowest development risk in eastern Oregon

Assessment Snapshot

Population

1780

State Rank

Compliance

35%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

100 ft from property lines; 0.5-mile buffer from Deschutes River Scenic Waterway; standard rural setbacks otherwise

Zoning Mechanism

EFU, Grazing (G), Rangeland (R); Columbia River frontage; Deschutes River buffer zone; Biggs/Rufus commercial/industrial zone

Acreage Caps

No county cap

Spacing Rules

Wind energy spacing precedent (0.5 mile) applied informally; solar can be denser per county practice

Size Restrictions

ODOE >35 MW; BPA interconnection; Deschutes River Scenic Waterway permit for riparian areas

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive — tiny agricultural community completely dependent on energy lease income and property taxes; county actively welcomes solar as complement to wind; The Dalles Chronicle coverage positive

Basis for Assessment

Sherman County planning records; The Dalles Chronicle; BPA interconnection data; Sherman County Assessor energy tax records; Sherman County Commissioner meeting minutes

Political Risk Factors

Stable-Improving — tiny rural community (1,780 people) economically dependent on energy leases; county views solar as additional revenue stream to complement wind; no opposition; The Dalles Chronicle coverage positive

Board Members

Tom McCoy (Chair), Joe Dague, Nick Puzey

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) — direct access via Celilo/John Day transmission corridor; Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) distribution

Utilities

Pacific Power (PacifiCorp), None/BPA direct for transmission

State Permitting Process

ORS 215 EFU CUP; ODOE >35 MW; BPA ROW authorization; Deschutes River Scenic Waterway for riparian areas

State Incentives

Eligible — Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program; federal IRA rural energy community bonus applicable

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

None verified

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

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Sherman County, OR — Solar Development Risk Assessment