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Last updated 8:30PM ET
February 12, 2012
KPLU Local News
KPLU Local News
State Legislature Approves Dam Compensation Bill
Doug Narvornick (2010-03-10)
Boundary Dam Photo from Flickr courtesy rejuvesite
SEATTLE, WA (N3) - A rural county in northeast Washington is getting a bit of relief, courtesy of the state legislature and Seattle City Light. Lawmakers in Olympia are requiring the utility to pay compensation for the effects of a hydroelectric dam. But Seattle City Light has already written a check on its own, as KPLU's Doug Nadvornick reports.

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State law exempts Seattle City Light from paying property taxes for its Boundary Dam. Instead, the utility has given Pend Oreille County yearly lump sums.
But negotiations between the two sides stalled last year when the economically-depressed county asked for double its regular amount. Their agreement lapsed and the utility stopped making payments.

So the county went to Olympia, asking for help. Lawmakers agreed that the utility must continue paying the county, even as they negotiate. In February, the utility paid the county one-point-three million dollars. County Commissioner Laura Merrill says that helped the county avoid a financial disaster.

Laura Merrill: "Right at the end of January, we did have to borrow money to just make payroll. So we will be able to use the million dollars from Seattle City Light to hopefully make payroll through the end of April, when a county normally gets their property tax revenue."

The legislature has also agreed to allow the two sides to go into arbitration to settle their differences.

The bill now heads to the governor's desk. I'm Doug Nadvornick reporting. © Copyright 2012, N3