[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6339805,"mediaKeyId","2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b","parentId",2260750,"title","Spokane council approves $650,000 Carbon Quest feasibility study and accepts EPA subaward for climate resilience","audioSeconds",977,"startMs",1986000,"endMs",2963000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b&start=1986&end=2963","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b/thumbnail_1986000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6339805/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-council-approves-650000-Carbon-Quest-feasibility-study-and-accepts-EPA-subaward-for-climate-resilience","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339805-440340523836181e51239f7e35c00ddf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136280&Signature=FhCk-v9iNKPeTQ2OUcCWJneDkt4MgARd2llkvB8vU3ecB2wMZvN8xHE~DvvUPpCfAWjMGwkpxGW~KSzTYbqjo7f-ApJIGZT99IUBZY--3qQ-rOyioCxn~rOZctz4vdyOgajCUvYHctfUKRq5wOC0ry13uEPEvBrtHtt-41rORdU3QOx2lfwiIKkxsMrmLuZpJbvlx~w2~0TFLvwKuvF6eutAUyw0W0AygEUm9C3nFztJAgNvvFfDPJhPrbvGw6-4o-tbLGkSiPO3losSfrmRCgVQL358LtLwZxhKTdmJqfAN6P2VQSNq0aopk~1VRAYszjA64S3fJ~U~YkFmHHqZpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-02-11T08:14:59Z","article","Spokane City Council voted to authorize a contract with Carbon Quest of up to $650,000 to conduct a feasibility and engineering study of carbon‑management options at the city’s Waste‑to‑Energy facility and approved budget amendments to accept an EPA subaward tied to a climate resilience project.

Council members said the study responds to requirements flowing from the Washington Climate Commitment Act and to uncertainty over whether the city’s Waste‑to‑Energy plant can be exempted from new state obligations without expensive upgrades. City legal staff and council members described the action as preparatory work to evaluate technical solutions and costs.

The study was authorized through Resolution R.2025‑5703 (listed on the agenda as “declaring that a special market condition does exist, waiving competitive bidding requirements, and authorizing the city to enter into a contract with Carbon Quest in the amount not to exceed $650,000”), and council also approved ordinance amendments (referred to in the meeting as Ordinance C366339 and related budget language) to accept an EPA subaward tied to consent agenda item OPR‑2025‑0101.

Why it matters: Council members said the Waste‑to‑Energy facility provides electricity, reduces landfill volume and protects groundwater; without a technical solution or a state exemption the city could face steep new costs that would be passed to utility ratepayers. Council discussion emphasized both the facility’s operational value and the need to explore options that meet state requirements without unnecessarily large rate increases.

Public comment was strongly divided. Several speakers opposed the contracts and the grant on fiscal or political grounds. Will Hewings called the EPA subaward and the study “wasteful” and tied it to federal climate policy; Justin Holler and a caller identified as “Dave M.” urged the council to be more frugal. Larry Andrews and others urged the council to shop for other bidders and questioned long‑term project financing. Dennis Flynn, who testified later in the meeting, criticized carbon‑capture proposals as expensive and uncertain. Supporters of the study were fewer in number during the public comment recorded on the transcript, but council members argued the study is a necessary step to evaluate compliance options.

Council members outlined the facility’s local benefits during debate: the plant handles roughly 800 tons of municipal solid waste per day, generates about 22 megawatts of electricity (roughly described as powering about 13,000 homes), and can earn up to roughly $5 million annually through power sales, according to remarks summarized in the public record. Council members also said the plant reduces solid‑waste volume by approximately 70–90% (by weight) and produces an inert ash that goes to a regional landfill.

Several council members urged constituents to press state legislators for an exemption for the Waste‑to‑Energy facility under the Climate Commitment Act; the council said an exemption would be the least costly path for residents. Staff noted that the city and the plant previously received substantial state support (council remarks recalled a state contribution of about $60 million in the late 1980s–early 1990s) and that missing an exemption could require hundreds of millions of dollars in system replacements or upgrades over time.

Outcome and next steps: The council approved the contract authorization and the budget ordinance amendments by voice vote. The meeting record shows the items passed; the transcript records the motions and voice votes but does not include a roll‑call tally. Staff and council said the study will return results and recommendations to the council for further decisions on financing and implementation.

Budget and funding notes: Public commenters and councilmembers referenced federal and state funding sources: the EPA subaward (OPR‑2025‑0101, identified in the meeting) and state programs administered under the Climate Commitment Act and Department of Ecology. The $650,000 contract figure is the maximum authorization approved by council; any larger project funding would require separate approvals.

Council members and several public speakers urged transparency on procurement, the exploration of alternative bidders, and outreach to state legislators to seek an exemption that could avoid major utility rate increases.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 10th, 2025 Spokane City Council Legislative Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Spokane City Council voted to authorize a contract with Carbon Quest of up to $650,000 to study carbon‑management at the city’s Waste‑to‑Energy facility and approved budget changes to accept an EPA subaward for a climate resilience project.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6339792,"Votes at a glance: other Spokane council actions from Feb. 10, 2025",928,978000,1906000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b&start=978&end=1906","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b/thumbnail_978000.jpg","/articles/6339792/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-other-Spokane-council-actions-from-Feb-10-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339792-cc3d549ecba72b18f8528d28ac963b27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136280&Signature=CwnzTPaUT-MvYLdcelbeTqVRFCS3SGEYn3hcA7sep~MiuZCU3w4lcaXNW1c9luVVDIC1Sfbku6gZo0u6x3oHqzLCa37tx2He20WzTovgovq-fTprMN4favCj-4WC~5nVPnB0yuVkqk4DmcLPpn0QcbZnHtx4xbILdNg8tFJ9OwLEHlx6Jox5JUv11rKa5xsKgkCZxuZ-JoL60zhAGLPTm6vCJq3iUxoA6OPzFaBz1lMpa4v~DAZ~S0n6jd4fasEIoXF0ckgIpnuvGB0lxSnX8tgWLzbPW8eDs0LGRuaV82VjUmtb-2qQOBJYG6s~j-tXF-OgmtkSsKfVz0htakN1oQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council took a number of additional, largely procedural votes during the Feb. 10, 2025 legislative session. Below are the items recorded in the meeting minutes and transcript with their outcomes as stated during the session.

- Consent agenda (all items except item 17): Passed by voice vote. No individual counts recorded on the transcript.
- Consent agenda item 17 — Acceptance of EPA community change grant (OPR‑2025‑0101): Taken separately and passed by voice vote.
- Ordinance vacating Kalispell Street (Ordinance C36636 in the meeting record): Passed; no public testimony was recorded for this item.
- Ordinance amending the biennial budget to accept the EPA subaward (Ordinance C366339 and related budget language): Passed; related to the EPA subaward acceptance noted above and to the Carbon Quest study (covered in a separate article).

Notes: The transcript records votes as voice votes (members saying “aye”) and does not provide roll‑call tallies on the record for these items. Where the transcript lists ordinance or resolution numbers without full text, the meeting record indicated brief descriptions of subject matter; the transcript did not provide additional supporting documentation during public comment for these short items.","A short roundup of additional council votes taken at the Feb. 10, 2025 Spokane City Council meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6339796,"Spokane council affirms Keep Washington Working law after extended, sometimes heated public comment",7831,2673000,10504000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b&start=2673&end=10504","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b/thumbnail_2673000.jpg","/articles/6339796/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-council-affirms-Keep-Washington-Working-law-after-extended-sometimes-heated-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339796-277cba753b6bc9833fe110fc885632af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136280&Signature=AOjOSakvqSsvDQOmIA7hAei~dq~XER3S8Cqp1QP5~S34Lv1i3t7NCQQRdghLncCBVxAs2c4nPjq6qIp8XmIZ9lyT0y7FGqZQ5tuD5ofVwISIoa2zQ2u6xFSwDSOTTIp9E9cVUcuy-q~2AyF0nBukc2pnBcBE9tC09dfRM~6dWRT8wFYNWMhy9YMwfQiwhrCQRf3UCGlSCV1Ti77KUZhAcsUV6HRhzYp8TOfLeEPJO2Mz9xNtcOWHA0GNP1SbfV2cAYpkRJSDgNbw5TKWtHXrni8VVEotHZWRXvLhBnahkQMKL3Fo0LHFeDj-fOy3JI7s43knG8ODL5~Y4U-kGPE6jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane City Council voted to reaffirm the city’s commitment to the Keep Washington Working Act, a Washington state law that limits use of local resources for immigration enforcement and restricts certain cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The resolution was advanced from the agenda‑review session earlier in the day and drew the largest public turnout recorded at the meeting. Council legal staff described the resolution as a nonbinding reaffirmation of existing state and local limits on local participation in federal immigration enforcement; it does not amend existing laws. The city attorney’s office told council the resolution does not change federal immigration law and stated the city’s current policies are compliant with state and federal law.

Public comment was lengthy and sharply split. Supporters — including Morton Alexander (Jewish Voice for Peace), Rebecca Gonchak, Jim Leedy (Citizen 926), Amy DeRas (Latinos in Spokane), Evie Polanski and others — urged the council to pass the measure to protect immigrant neighbors, maintain public‑safety trust, and provide access to services and legal defense. Many speakers connected the resolution to broader concerns about federal enforcement actions and described local fear among immigrant families.

Opponents — including Gretchen McDevitt, Mike Gleeson, Tony O’Neil, Will Hewings and others — argued the resolution was unnecessary (they said state law already governs cooperation) or would make Spokane a “sanctuary” jurisdiction that could risk federal funding and undermine enforcement of federal immigration laws. Some opposed the timing and the late addition of the item to the agenda.

Council discussion reflected those tensions. Council legal counsel reiterated the resolution’s limited legal effect and emphasized that “sanctuary” is not a legal term; councilmembers who supported the resolution said it was needed to reassure residents and to keep local resources focused on local public safety. Several councilmembers urged constituents to pressure state legislators to fix the federal/state policy mismatch or provide statutory exemptions in specific cases; one councilmember asked residents to contact local legislators about an exemption for the Waste‑to‑Energy facility (discussed elsewhere in the meeting).

Outcome: The council adopted the resolution after extended public testimony and council remarks. The meeting record shows the council adopted the resolution by voice vote.

Context and next steps: Supporters said the resolution will help preserve trust between immigrant communities and local agencies; opponents warned of legal and fiscal consequences. The city attorney’s office and council members recommended continued public education about rights and procedures, and several councilmembers said they will pursue legislative outreach and further community education to clarify local policy and residents’ rights.","The City Council passed a resolution reaffirming the city’s commitment to the state Keep Washington Working Act, drawing large, divided public turnout and extensive testimony both supporting and opposing the measure.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6339801,"Spokane adopts language‑access ordinance to recruit bilingual and multilingual city staff",1170,3108000,4278000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b&start=3108&end=4278","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260750-aacfb6ea431701165736e5d0180e866b/thumbnail_3108000.jpg","/articles/6339801/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-adopts-languageaccess-ordinance-to-recruit-bilingual-and-multilingual-city-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339801-c00f0eb670fcf1b491572380c7c75fc6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136280&Signature=AjqODVnfngKWoj8JZ3VSbcGRl8SUB2LcJEweQ4C26ML7EWKzabefDNQHs3vkEicdy8FUvl2tHPovosbaIzPilEsT~oQJfqAeicEWWrB80ajrzB4iVYFV9XpkJACf1YXqvhUpHLYbyAOv2ZuDZ2qeYsGx0qM4nVRu8zZzRTiVPAuSfaaFQ65UhP5Pjd-i5fFGC01GVU4UL2FiyA4OYQJAKoaIihm6Y-pt6XM3MCiBvJTPuwbfiMwu1rVzYif934DPxIj0DIvyPOuMQ4Hs4ux4eOVHfS9rhBW2En8hAqrzRBiymjObRYYKPFcnMCiD2txMvYPK3vr2T-ZXl4JaBZyjzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane City Council passed an ordinance amending municipal code to expand language access and to encourage recruitment of bilingual and multilingual applicants for city jobs.

Council and staff described the ordinance as a step to improve access to city services for residents who are not proficient in English. Council highlighted past difficulties during pandemic relief distribution and permitting processes when language barriers arose, and cited a technology pilot the city is testing to provide live translation to the public.

Supporters urged the council to act to reduce barriers for residents and to improve public safety and access to services. David Brookbank, Justice Sprawl, Amy DeRas (community programs director at Latinos in Spokane), Councilmember Navarrete and other speakers said better language access will help immigrants, limited‑English residents and working families to interact with city agencies, access services, and participate in civic life. Councilmember McAfee described situations where family members, including children, had previously been forced to interpret for parents during permitting or other city business and said the lack of access slows critical public processes.

Opponents during public comment included speakers who argued hiring should be merit‑based and that English should remain the primary language for official city business (public commenters Will Hewings and Justin Haller voiced those views). Several commenters pressed that language skills should not automatically result in pay differentials unless the language skill is a core job requirement.

Implementation details discussed at the meeting included a language‑access pilot using live translation equipment (presented earlier in the session by Alex Gibleisco) and a focus on priority languages identified in local data: Spanish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian and Marshallese were cited as among top languages of concern. Councilmembers said they intend to leverage technology where possible to broaden access while saving costs, and to use in‑person bilingual staff where necessary. The ordinance text includes provisions for recruitment priorities and procedures; the council voted to adopt the ordinance after public testimony.

Outcome: The ordinance (identified in the agenda as Ordinance C36630 in the meeting record) was approved by council vote. Councilmembers urged ongoing implementation, staff training, and use of technology to expand services.","The City Council approved an ordinance to strengthen language access and to recruit bilingual and multilingual applicants for city positions, following extensive public testimony and a pilot of translation technology.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Spokane council approves $650,000 Carbon Quest feasibility study and accepts EPA subaward for climate resilience

Votes at a glance: other Spokane council actions from Feb. 10, 2025

Spokane council affirms Keep Washington Working law after extended, sometimes heated public comment

Spokane adopts language‑access ordinance to recruit bilingual and multilingual city staff