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Senator Jim Honeyford News &
Views (Printer Friendly)
15th District legislators
concerned about EPA's involvement in private well issue
Chandler, Newhouse and Honeyford send
letter to governor expressing concern
December 5, 2008
The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Thursday organized a public meeting to
discuss private, contaminated wells in the Yakima area, as
exposed by the Yakima Herald-Republic. Concerned that the EPA is
overstepping its bounds,
Sen. Jim Honeyford
and
Reps.
Bruce Chandler and
Dan Newhouse sent a
letter to Gov. Gregoire today asking the state take
responsibility and work with local governments to solve the
issue. The 15th
District legislators are in Olympia this week for Committee
Assembly Week and could not attend the meeting hosted by the EPA
on Thursday.
"Our hope is that the governor will ask the
state Department of Ecology to step in and partner with local
authorities by providing the assistance they need," said
Honeyford, R-Sunnyside. "A response is warranted in this
situation, but not from a federal agency based in Seattle."
"The federal government does not have
jurisdiction over private, non-municipal wells or drinking
water," said Chandler, R-Granger. "We don't need more
regulations on businesses and agricultural properties; we need a
groundwater management area to find a solution that works best
for the affected residents."
"It's unfortunate that state and local agencies have been
unresponsive to this issue in the past and that it took a series
of news stories to get any action," said Newhouse, R-Sunnyside.
"The responsibility belongs with state and local authorities,
and I think we now have their attention. The next step will be
to work together to make sure sufficient action is taken."
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