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MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) – A dispute over the lack of fish passages at the Seattle City Light dams escalated Tuesday when Skagit County sued the city of Seattle for forcing the release of some of the utility’s financial records.
The county is applying for record release under the State Public Records Act. The records include a statement of the value of electricity sold by each of the three hydropower plants on the Skagit River, the Seattle Times reported.
“We just want the city to listen, work with us and the tribes, roll up their sleeves and work on the fish passage,” said Peter Browning, one of three Skagit County’s commissioners. “They say they can’t afford it. Let’s look at the finances. “
Seattle City Light spokeswoman Julie Moore said the utility is not commenting on any litigation but is looking into the fish passage issue as part of an ongoing process to re-license the dams with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The city operates three dams – Gorge, Diablo and Ross – on the Skagit. The dams generate around 20% of the electricity used by City Light customers. The dams were built without a fish passage from 1917 and block the passage of salmon and steelheads from reaching the upper third of the watershed.
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