Local News

Project updates and long service recognition were the main focus of Tuesday’s PUD meeting.
Gray & Osborne Engineer Mike Johnson gave the board an ecology report and an update on the SR 409 project.
In regard to the 409 project, a biological assessment has been submitted for review. Part of the package included an archeological assessment. He said gaining the necessary permits from the Army Corps of Engineers should be a relatively short process, about one to three months. He said there is still the slim possibility to be constructing this summer, depending on the weather. The project would last an estimated two months.
Johnson gave the board information regarding the potential for acquiring water rights for a hydro power project on the Grays River. For a dam project, a water right application and a water storage application are required.
A permit is needed for both, Johnson said. Because of a change in the Department of Ecology fee schedule, what used to be a $10 application fee “is now a $50 minimum application fee plus, a cost per one hundredth of a cubic foot per second that you are asking for and cost per acre foot storage cost that you are asking for.”
Depending on the area, and the acre feet will depend on the total cost, “you are looking at potentially a $50,000 application,” he said.

Commissioner Robert Jungers asked if it would need to be paid with the application or upon approval of the application.
Johnson replied that he believed it to be paid with the application. He said the $50 could be sent in with the forms, and the remainder will be billed. The cost reimbursement program will allow the application to be processed faster.
“It doesn’t guarantee a water right, but it does get the application processed,” he said.
There are four tests that must be satisfied to get a new water right, Johnson said.
First, the water must be put to beneficial use; second, it must be in the public interest; third, the water cannot impair other uses, including environmental uses. Finally, is the water available? That is, are there more water rights being held than water available in the stream?
Johnson said a hydro geologist would be contacted and the information would be passed on to Ecology, who will in turn pass the information on to their consultants.

In other business, Manager Dave Tramblie said the new transformer will be delivered by Clark County PUD Monday morning. He told the board that because of the increase in fuel costs, the vehicle charge rates need to be adjusted as they haven’t changed in about three years.
Auditor Erin Wilson said people have been responding to the questionnaires sent out with the PUD bills. More will be going out this week. She told the boardthe lists for the conservation kits have been forwarded to Niagra, the company that will be mailing the kits. Area residents will be receiving these complimentary kitspaid for with PUD conservation dollars.
K.C. Johnson received thanks and congratulations as he has reached a milestone in his service with the PUD. Johnson has been employed on the PUD line crew for over 30 years .
Tramblie commented that in the time Johnson has been employed he has never had a real accident. “That is a testament, too. This trade for that many years and not have an electrical contact accident; that’s awesome!”
Johnson said the crew watches out for each other and keeps in contact when working, “that’s what you have to do.”