In the sprawling green hills of California’s far north, where the politics run red and rowdy, a new state law designed to clear a path for climate-friendly energy projects is facing a tough debut.

State officials are using their authority under the law, for the first time, to gain approval powers over a plan to build 48 giant wind turbines in Shasta County — powers typically held by local officials. In doing so, they’ve encountered not only opposition to the project but broader anger in a region known for its distaste of heavy-handed government and, in particular, Sacramento Democrats.

Previously, the county Board of Supervisors here rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID mandates, scoffed at the state’s support of tighter gun restrictions and vowed to take on the Legislature over whether the county could hand-count ballots amid concerns, though unsubstantiated, about fraud in President Donald Trump’s failed reelection bid.

Now, the new climate law, Assembly Bill 205, has rural Shasta County in yet another dust-up with the state. The confrontation was cemented late last month with a lawsuit filed by county officials, challenging the California Energy Commission’s jurisdiction over the Fountain Wind Project.