The Skagit CAPR Chapter sponsored a second water rights forum on Wednesday evening, September 17th at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Mt Vernon. This one was billed as a 'Legislative Town Hall" and legislators from the 10th, 39th and 40th Districts were invited. Local elected officials were also invited as were candidates for legislative and local offices. Glen Morgan from the Freedom Foundation was the moderator.
The goal of the event was to educate the law makers with the water situation in Skagit County in light of last fall's Swinomish v. Dept of Ecology decision, and then suggest possible solutions for the problem that threatens 500 land owners with loss of use of their wells and prevents access to water on more than 5500 undeveloped properties. Zach Barborinas from Just Water Alliance and Skagit CAPR Chapter member Mike Newman briefed the history, science and politics behind last year's Washington State Supreme Court decision.
Daniel DeMay provides an accurate account of the event in the September 18th Skagit Valley Herald.
November 4, 2015