Overcoming obstacles in wind energy development - Solar, Wind and Land: Conflicts in Renewable Energy Development - page 183

persuade these citizens residing outside the bounds of its development area
that its proposed project was in their interest as well?
Cannon had learned from prior experience not to underestimate the
importance of neighbors and outside groups when developing a wind farm.
The company's strategy for gaining and keeping this contingent's favor
was threefold: (i) be as transparent and open as possible, (ii) hire locally
whenever feasible, and (iii) give generously back to the community through
charitable and other donations.
Communication and transparency
Transparency and proactive communication with locals had spared Cannon
from public relations challenges on multiple occasions in connection with
other renewable energy developments, so Cannon was committed to these
principles in connection with its Klickitat County project. Throughout the
project's development Cannon regularly released photographs and short
articles describing its progress. Over time, local residents increasingly
followed these updates to stay informed. Although Cannon had to spend
precious time and money on this sort of outreach, its investments paid
valuable dividends at certain points in the process.
One incident that highlighted the value of Cannon's public relations
efforts in Klickitat County involved the global financial crisis that erupted
in late 2008. Cannon was actively preparing for a large financing closing
on a major project phase when the crisis broke. Within days, a handful of
news outlets began reporting that Cannon's lead lender, HSH Nordbank
AG, could be on the brink of failure. This unwelcome news caused rumors
to spread like wildfire through the tiny town of Goldendale. Was Cannon's
chief lender really about to fail? And if so, would the bank's failure doom
further development at Windy Point?
Cannon was understandably afraid that this gossip might deter some
landowners from cooperating or cause them to commence discussions with
competing developers. Fortunately, its communications plan meant that
the company had a system in place to swiftly dispel the rumors that were
swirling around its project. Cannon posted statements allaying local fears
about the fate of its financing and was thereby able to weather what had
rapidly erupted into a dangerous public relations storm.
Hiring locals
Cannon also sought to build favor within Klickitat County by injecting
money into its local economy through the hiring of local contractors
and personnel whenever possible. Obviously, the project's turbines
could not be manufactured in the county. However, much of the work
associated with building and grading roads, surveying the land, pouring
concrete, digging wells, laying and burying low-voltage transmission