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13th District lawmakers call Ecology ban on new
wells harmful to Kittitas County economy and families
July 16, 2009
OLYMPIA…Ironically,
during the height of the building season, the Washington
Department of Ecology (Ecology) announced today that it
plans to file an emergency rule that closes upper Kittitas
County to all new groundwater withdrawals.
The move, which scraps nearly two years of negotiations
between Ecology and the Kittitas County Board of
Commissioners, outraged local lawmakers, who see the move as
an unnecessary intrusion by the state that will have a
negative impact on the region.
“At a time when every job counts and our state is facing yet
another deficit, Ecology is effectively bankrupting the
building industry in upper Kittitas County, issuing pink
slips to its workers, and sending economic shockwaves
through a county that is already suffering from economic
hardship,” said Sen.
Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake. “Today’s rule represents
the Department of Ecology’s failure to manage the County’s
water resources; and consequently, Ecology is denying
families who want to live in upper Kittitas County the basic
right to access drinking water.”
Today’s action is part of an effort by “slow-growth”
activists who are seeking to slow development and economic
growth in Kittitas County, despite the wishes of Kittitas
residents.
“Though technically Ecology has the authority to regulate
ground water, this is a clear overstepping of the facts and
an abuse of their power based on a political agenda that
can’t get enough support to pass legislation in Olympia,”
said
Rep. Bill Hinkle, R- Cle Elum. “The only real
problem we’ve had is people drilling too close to streams,
something the department should work to fix.
Instead, they’re
listening to outside special interest groups with radical
agendas. We
have people and organizations from outside Washington trying
to stop development in Kittitas County, which is just
wrong.”
The emergency rule will be in place for 120 days, although
there are some concerns that it could lead to a permanent
ban.
“I’m disappointed to hear Ecology and the county could not
finalize the agreement on exempt wells at this time,” said
Rep.
Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “It is imperative that
we protect senior water rights holders as well as provide
for future development in the county. I have heard from many
constituents who want everyone involved to work for a common
sense solution. Without an agreement, we cannot move forward
with the study to get factual information about our
groundwater resources. It would be devastating for citizens
of the county if this temporary ban becomes permanent.”
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For more information, contact:
Booker
Stallworth, Public Information Officer/Outreach Coordinator:
(360) 786-7536
Brendon Wold,
Senior Information Officer: (509)
921-2356
Sarah Lamb, Public
Information Officer:
(360) 786-7720
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