The project, planned by Magic Valley, aims to build massive wind turbines across three counties, doubling Idaho’s wind energy production.
However, descendants of those who were held at Minidoka during World War two argue that the site serves as a place of healing and remembrance, and they fear that the development could cause irrevocable harm. During World War II there were many Japanese Americans and Japanese citizens which were held in internment camps. On February 19th 1942 president Roosevelt signed executive order 9066 with the alleged intention of preventing espionage on US soil. Over 120,000 Japanese American citizens were detained in the US in several locations. Canada, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina followed suit and sent another 50,000 people to the camps in the US.
The camps were managed by a civilian organization called the War Relocation Authority and the conditions in the camps were just as horrific as Nazi concentration camps in Europe. The resistance to destroy the camps is more than understandable as the real history of the horrors of war could be lost. Concerns have also been raised about potential environmental impact, including damage to an aquifer due to construction methods and the permanent scarring of the landscape. The Bureau of Land Management’s decision on the project’s approval is expected next year.
