A hearing held by Spokane County commissioners drew a diverse crowd of people with concerns about entering a $170 million contract to build a wastewater treatment plant before getting necessary discharge permits. The county does not know whether discharge from the plant will be allowed into the Spokane River. The Spokesman Review reports.
Spokane County is on the verge of signing what’s believed to be its biggest contract ever to build a wastewater treatment plant, even though no one knows yet whether environmental regulators will allow any of the treated sewage to be discharged into the Spokane River. The Spokesman Review reports.
The Sierra Club submitted a letter to Spokane County urging the Commissioners to rethink wastewater treatment technology before entering into a costly contract with CH2MHill. The Sierra Club reports, including a copy of the letter.
Spokane County commissioners will hold a public hearing to determine if it is in the public interest to enter into a service contract with CH@M Hill for the design, construction and operation of a regional wastewater treatment facility. Lower Level of the Public Works building, 1026 W. Broadway.
Saltese Flats has attracted the attention of county officials who are looking for ways to maintain the health of the Spokane River in the face of population growth. They think the existing drainage system could be modified to re-create a wetland to store winter and spring runoff and allow it to soak more slowly into the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. The Spokesman Review reports.
Changes by EPA mean plans to limit phosphorus discharges into the Spokane River will take at least another year, state and federal officials announced today. The Spokesman Review reports.
Due to delays, the Washington Department of Ecology may complete Spokane County’s Shoreline Management Plan. The plan will regulate development and maintenance of 750 miles of shorelines along rivers, lakes and streams. The Spokesman Review reports.
Delays by Spokane County in completing their shoreline managment plan for the Spokane River and surrounding lakes has resulted in the Washington Department of Ecology initiating a formal process to complete the plan.