HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCC (002)Signature page to the Department of Ecology Letter
1. Support for representation on the "Restoration and Enhancement Committees".
2. Oppose additional wastewater fees for wineries.
IN WITNESS whereof the parties hereto have signed this letter of support:
Date
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Grant County Commissioler Tom Taylor, Chair
Date
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Grant County 'Commissioner Cindy Carter, Vice -Chair
P, 4 Date g- � - ! i
Grant County Commissioner Richard Stevens,, Member
Attest:
Bqibaja J. Vasquezz/C
Clerk of the Board
August 1, 2019
Ms. Maia Bellon, Director
Department of Ecology
State of Washington
P.O. Box 4700
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Dear Director Bellon;
We, the inscribed below, wish to call your attention to two significant issues that we find are of
great concern, and bear a potentially negative impact not only to the constituency we represent,
but to all interests in the State of Washington.
First, the legislative Hirst solution authorized "Restoration and Enhancement Committees" which
have been set up by the Department of Ecology and tasked with the planning and future allocation
of water in seven Washington Watersheds. We would like to express our dissatisfaction with the
appointments made to these committees as they are lacking actual farm members directly
connected to the land and its lifeblood "water". It is incomprehensible that decisions are to be
made without any input from those who deal first-hand with the realities of farming.
Our second concern specifically deals with the flourishing wine industry in Eastern Washington,
and throughout our State. We are opposed to the additional wastewater fees the DOE is imposing
on our wineries. These fees are based merely on the presumption of a possible negative effect on
groundwater quality, even though there is no documented case of such an occurrence.
The wastewater fees, imposition of additional regulations and the onerous paperwork involved is
a deterrent to winery expansions and their economic viability. Your Ecology Economist concluded
that the higher fees would benefit Washington's economy by creating public -sector jobs, which
may present a direct deterrent to private enterprise expansion and future tax revenue.
We are asking the Department of Ecology to re-evaluate the impact of these regulations on the
economic growth and viability of our wine industries.
The agriculture industry is not only vital to Eastern Washington and throughout the State, but to
our entire nation. We respectfully ask that you give due consideration to our stated concerns. Itis
our desire to work with the Department of Ecology for the betterment of all.
Respectfully,