Welcome to Skagit County

July 16th, 2007

ANACORTES DROPS TWO WATER RIGHTS LAWSUITS AGAINST COUNTY

SKAGIT COUNTY — On Friday, the City of Anacortes declared it would be dropping two of its lawsuits against Skagit County over Skagit River Basin water rights. The City opposes the state’s 2006 Instream Flow Rule, which provides protection for salmon habitat and restricts well usage in rural areas of the Skagit River Basin.

The City filed five legal actions against the County earlier this year. Of those five, three have been dismissed in the County’s favor. The city’s withdrawal of its two remaining lawsuits, before the Pollution Control Hearings Board and in Skagit County Superior Court, means that Anacortes has lost or given up all five of its initial lawsuits.

“Anacortes just wasted almost $200,000 paying Seattle attorneys to sue the citizens of Skagit County, and has absolutely nothing to show for it.” Skagit County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Will Honea said. “For its part, Skagit County has been forced to spend a similar amount of money defending against the City’s frivolous lawsuits,” Honea noted.

Anacortes recently filed two more lawsuits against the County. On July 10, 2007, the Washington State Department of Ecology committed to intervene against Anacortes on the County’s behalf. Ecology takes the position that the County is implementing its obligations under Ecology’s water rules, something Anacortes has no right to challenge.

At a June 15 meeting over water rights, Anacortes refused to explain its objectives, despite being asked directly to do so. “We would like to understand how to resolve this dispute, but Anacortes simply won’t tell us,” said Honea. “This should be shocking to everyone who pays taxes in Skagit County.”