SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / WA / Skamania

Skamania County, WA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

49.2
Risk Grade
Fair
Columbia River Gorge NSA restrictions and Gifford Pinchot NF coverage eliminate most utility-scale siting options; limited grid infrastructure and very small population restrict opportunity.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
12,083
State Rank
#25
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No county-specific solar setbacks; Columbia River Gorge NSA scenic review and USFS regulations apply to large portions of county.
Zoning Mechanism
Skamania County: CUP in Resource zones; Columbia River Gorge Commission review for NSA projects; Board of County Commissioners.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral/low activity — Gorge NSA and Gifford Pinchot NF severely limit developable land; Pacific Power grid minimal; Stevenson community focused on tourism
Basis for Assessment
Pacific Power IOU serves county; Gifford Pinchot National Forest comprises ~60% of county; Columbia River Gorge NSA scenic corridor along Columbia River; Stevenson is small tourism community; Columbia Gorge Resort area; very limited developable private land; Pacific Power grid investment historically limited
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Board of Commissioners (3 members) | Partisan elections | 4-yr terms | Skamania County Courthouse, Stevenson WA

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
WECC / BPA Transmission — Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) service territory; Columbia River Gorge grid
Utilities
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp)
State Permitting Process
Large facilities (≥350 MW): EFSEC exclusive jurisdiction. <350 MW: county CUP/SUP; no statewide preemption floor. SEPA review required. GMA energy siting required in comprehensive plans. SMA applies near shorelines. Critical Areas Ordinances: wetlands, fish habitat, flood zones require county CAO compliance. Ag land conversion: county-specific farmland protection policies apply.
State Incentives
Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA/SB 5116, 2019): IOUs carbon-neutral by 2030; 100% carbon-free by 2045. Net metering: ≤100 kW IOU customers under WUTC; PUDs set individual limits. RESIP: production incentives for ≤100 kW systems. Sales & use tax exemption (RCW 82.08.962). Property tax exemption (RCW 84.36.635). Community solar via PSE, SnoPUD, Tacoma Power, Clark Public Utilities, and most WA PUDs. PACE financing in participating counties. Federal ITC: 30% (IRA 2022); 10% low-income adder for qualifying projects.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on public record. Very limited rooftop activity in Stevenson area.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No formal denials on record; no significant developer activity given land constraints.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

Last verified: 2026-04-01 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes