Mr. Trepanier, from the Yakima, Washington DOT office, will attend the public and agency meetings and expects to be appointed to the Council at the time the formal application is submitted. The SEPA sub-committee is requesting that the DEIS and the Application be consolidated into a single document. All applicants would go through a pre-application review, focused on conducting environmental scoping, and ensuring extensive communication with all interest groups to make sure they have an opportunity to learn about the project and help in the identification of key issues in developing the DEIS and Application. The Council indicated that it would like new Applicants to comply with this integrated review process and is committed to improving and if possible shortening the review process. Council will remain open to project specific changes to the integrated review process as circumstances arise.
All parties are committed to coordinating the timelines required by each agency.
Mr. Fiksdal will be meeting with the Columbia County Commissioners on Monday, October 16 th to also discuss this project and the review process. Mr. Fiksdal is also working with JSA to amend their contract and scope of work to include this Potential Site Study. Mr. Fiksdal expects to have a contract amendment ready for Council consideration its November meeting. The Council requested that staff work with JSA to fully include the integrated review process in the scope of work to be established. Mike Elmer summarized the agency contacts that have already been initiated by NPE and their contractors regarding water rights and air emissions.