HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCCGRANT COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM
(Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday)
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: BOCC
REQUEST SUBMITTED BY: CEMANELL
CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: CEMANELL
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: ❑YES BNO
DATE: 04/04/2025
PHONE:2931
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WAM
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3:4
Letter of Support for Funding for the EL 22.1
Surface Water Irrigation Project in
Senate Capital Budget Bill (SB 5195).
If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES
If necessary, was this document reviewed by legal? ❑ YES ❑ NO
DATE OF ACTION: �VE2_�
APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN
D1.
D2:
D3:
El NO ON/A
DEFERRED OR CONTINUED TO:
WITHDRAWN:
R N/A
RECEIVED
arzarza APR - 4 2025
GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
GRANT COUNTY
OFFICE OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
P 0 Box 37
EPHRATA WA 9BB23
(509) 754-201 1
April 15, 2025
RE: Support for Funding for the EL 22.1 Surface Water Irrigation Project in Senate
Capital Budget Bill (SB 5195)
Dear Members of the Washington State Legislature and Governor Bob Ferguson,
We are writing to express our strong support for the nearly $45 million in funding
allocated in Senate Bill 5195 (the 2025-27 Washington State Senate Capital Budget Bill) for the
EL 22.1 Surface Water Irrigation Project, a transformational investment in water irrigation
infrastructure and sustainability in eastern Washington.
The EL 22.1 Project is essential to solving the groundwater depletion crisis in the Odessa
Aquifer Subarea, ensuring a long-term, stable water supply for farmers and communities in parts
of Grant, Adams, and Lincoln Counties. As the largest single irrigation system within the Odessa
Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP), EL 22.1 will provide surface water from the
Federal Columbia Basin Project, replacing groundwater pumping, which will improve aquifer
health, decrease energy costs, and stabilize water supply in the affected areas east of Moses Lake
and north of I-90.
The Senate's Capital Budget includes nearly $45 million for the EL 22.1 in OGWRP, ensuring
the continued advancement of EL 22.1 and allowing farmers to transition to a reliable,
sustainable surface water irrigation system. With nearly 100% of its design and engineering
complete, EL 22.1 is construction -ready, ready to provide meaningful relief to affected portions
of Grant, Adams, and Lincoln Counties.
This funding is pivotal to:
Preserving farmland: Once all phases of EL 22.1 are completed, the system will irrigate
several thousand acres, supporting 70+ farm families and strengthening Washington's food
supply.
• Enhancing economic growth: The project's development will create hundreds of jobs in
engineering, construction, and agricultural operations, while improved irrigation will bolster
agribusiness revenues and attract food processing investments in rural communities.
• Reducing energy costs: Switching from groundwater pumping to surface water irrigation will
conserve 52,080 megawatt -hours of renewable energy, drastically lowering costs for farmers
and advancing sustainability efforts in the EL 22.1 area.
• Eliminating reliance on groundwater: Once fully completed, the EL 22.1 system will remove
34 wells from operation, saving 51,972 acre-feet (17 billion gallons) of water annually, a
critical step toward aquifer restoration and long-term water stability.
Kevin R. Burgess Rob Jones Cindy Carter
District 1 District 2 District 3
"TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS? SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES? WHILE FOSTERING
A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT."
The EL 22.1 Project will provide farmers and rural communities in affected portions of Grant,
Adams, and Lincoln Counties with both economic stability and long-term aquifer sustainability,
ensuring reliable water resources for future generations.
As a result, and for the reasons outlined above, we urge the Washington State Legislature and
Governor Ferguson to support the nearly $45 million in infrastructure funding in SB 5195 for the
EL 22.1 Surface Water Irrigation Project, which will protect vital groundwater resources and
strengthen rural economies in Grant, Adams and Lincoln Counties.
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to supporting this critical water infrastructure
and sustainability initiative.
Sincerely,
qua
Rd , Chair Cindy Caher, Vice- hair Kevin R. Bur s, Member