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Counties Reach Accord on Brightwater Plant

Posted on: Wednesday, 19 October 2005, 15:00 CDT

By Lynn Thompson, The Seattle Times

Oct. 18--The Snohomish County Council yesterday approved a $70 million mitigation agreement with King County that largely clears the way for construction of the Brightwater sewage-treatment plant north of Woodinville.

The council also adopted emergency ordinances that will increase earthquake safety and odor control at the proposed $1.66 billion plant. Officials in both counties negotiated the mitigation package that includes money for parks, new roads and habitat restoration in exchange for Snohomish County dropping pending lawsuits against the project.

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said he would sign the agreement when it reached his desk.

The only dissenting vote to the agreement came from Snohomish Councilman Jeff Sax, who is in the midst of a re-election fight. Sax argued that Snohomish County won't have a seat at the table as decisions about the proposed plant go forward.

"Future decisions will be made by King County," Sax said.

Sax, who leaked details of the settlement agreement to anti-Brightwater groups about two weeks ago, remained defiant at yesterday's hearing, portraying himself as the lone political opponent to the project.

"I probably did the wrong thing for the right reason," he said of releasing the confidential legal documents prior to yesterday's public hearing.

Virtually every politician in Snohomish County decried King County Executive Ron Sims' decision in 2003 to locate Brightwater outside its own borders, and without consent of Snohomish County.

But Snohomish Councilman Dave Gossett noted that Snohomish County's legal challenges had been rebuffed, including an attempt to deny King County necessary permits.

"We've been to court and we've lost," Gossett said.

Snohomish County adopted ordinances to specify tougher odor and seismic safeguards six months ago, but those have been challenged in court. Under the settlement agreement, King County agrees to the new odor controls and will conduct further seismic studies before locating buildings at the Brightwater site that will hold waste and chemicals.

About 50 people filled the council chambers for yesterday's public hearing. A number of union officials praised the agreement, saying it would bring needed jobs to the region.

But some people who live near the proposed plant, near Highways 9 and 522 north of Woodinville, questioned the plan to use mitigation money to build sidewalks, curbs and gutters in what they said was a largely rural area.

Grady Helseth, a developer who lives in the Maltby area, said the money should go directly to reduce noise, traffic and other impacts of construction and plant operations that may be felt by neighbors.

"I'm concerned that the money being spent on mitigation can't be reallocated without permission from King County," he said.

A final legal challenge, by the Sno-King Environmental Alliance over the plant's earthquake provisions, will be heard in December.

King County officials have said construction of the treatment plant must begin next year if it is to be completed by 2010, when it expects the county's current treatment facilities to reach their capacity. The Brightwater plant would serve people in North King County and South Snohomish County.

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Source: The Seattle Times

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