JEROME, Idaho (AP) — In 1943, a little boy named Paul Tomita pressed his ink-covered finger onto a mint-green exit card, signaling his release from the Minidoka camp in Idaho. This camp was one of many where over 13,000 Japanese American men, women, and children were incarcerated during World War II due to their ancestry. Now, decades later, Tomita and other West Coast pilgrims are returning to the camp to ensure that the atrocity is not forgotten. However, their efforts are being threatened by a new government decision – the construction of the Lava Ridge Wind Farm near Minidoka.
The proposed wind farm, which would consist of 400 turbines spread across 118 square miles near the camp, has sparked concerns among the survivors. They see it as another attempt to bury the past and erase the history of the camp. Tomita questions whether the government would allow such development if Minidoka was a memorial to white soldiers. The opposition to the wind project is widespread, with worries about the destruction of the landscape, damage to the aquifer, and the casting of shadows on the desert where Minidoka survivors visit.
While the Biden Administration aims to promote renewable energy and fight climate change, the wind project has faced resistance from those who believe that preserving the historical significance of Minidoka is more important. Magic Valley, the company behind the project, argues that there is a market-based need for clean energy, and the location is suitable for the wind farm. They hope to gain approval from the Bureau of Land Management next year and begin construction in 2025.
Minidoka survivors and their descendants view the camp as a place of healing and remembrance, where the traumas of their families’ past can be acknowledged and resolved. They fear that the wind project will undermine this goal. Idaho Rep. Jack Nelson, a Republican, emphasizes the importance of studying history to prevent repeating past mistakes.
For Paul Tomita, the little boy in the photograph, Minidoka was a place of longing and confusion. He recalls the hardships of living in the camp, from the cramped living conditions to the relentless dust that worsened his asthma. Eventually, it became clear that the Japanese-Americans at Minidoka posed no threat, but they remained imprisoned behind the barbed wire.
Tomita’s family eventually left the camp and returned to Seattle, where they rebuilt their lives. Years later, Tomita brought a copy of his exit card to the annual pilgrimage at Minidoka, hoping to preserve the memory of the camp for future generations. He sees the land as sacred, a reminder of the injustices that were inflicted upon Japanese Americans during the war.
As the Bureau of Land Management nears a final decision on the wind project, the battle between preserving history and promoting renewable energy continues. The outcome will determine whether the scars of the past will be overshadowed by the turbines of the future.
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