Your PUD
News Release
PUD authorizes land swap for snowpack forecasting site
Chelan County PUD
News Release
6/30/2008
Chelan County PUD commissioners Monday declared 371 acres of PUD land in the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area surplus and authorized exchanging it for a permanent easement to the U.S. Forest Service’s Lyman Lake Snotel Site, where the PUD has measured snowpack since 1928.
The PUD’s land, called Miners Ridge, is in Snohomish County, so a hearing took place simultaneously via telephone in Snohomish County. No one from the public spoke at either hearing site.
The exchange was made possible after Congress approved the Wild Sky Wilderness Bill in April. President Bush signed the bill into law May 8, opening a 90-day window to complete the exchange.
Prior to final closing of the exchange, the state Department of Ecology will do a final environmental assessment.
In other business, PUD commissioners:
- Continued discussing rate design for PUD customers. A possible rate increase and rate adjustments within specific classes such as residential and commercial are being analyzed as options to bring the PUD closer to covering the full cost of providing electrical service. Future discussions will include a look at rates for PUD water and sewer customers. If proposed by the board, rate changes would go through an additional public hearing process this fall. Public comment is welcome at board meetings, by e-mail at board2@chelanpud.org and by phone at 661-4212. The results of the cost-of-service analysis are posted on the PUD’s Web site.
- Heard that three property owners neighboring the Monitor water system LUD are asking to join the LUD. The parcels are in an area that will not need additional infrastructure for connection.
- Heard public comment from Carnan Bergren, Peshastin, a candidate for PUD commissioner, who complained that Commissioner Werner Janssen met with several PUD staff members and citizens from the Upper Wenatchee Valley last Friday in Leavenworth without announcing the meeting to the general public. The meeting was intended to answer questions about the PUD’s rate-setting process and its cost-of-service study for a group of concerned citizens.
- Canceled the July 7 board meeting.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission is at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 14, in the boardroom at PUD headquarters, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at http://www.chelanpud.org/.
Christy Shearer
Communications Audio-visual Specialist
Chelan County PUD
509.661.4258 office
509.421.4258 cell
509.661.8133 fax
christy.shearer@chelanpud.org