Jonathan Lewis, a representative of Quicotat Valley Health, told the Goldendale City Council that a planned FEMA-funded microgrid tying school district buildings and the hospital together will not proceed to construction after a nationwide cut to FEMA building-resilience funding. "They would pay out the design work that we already had done, but they would not move it forward to the construction test," Lewis said.

Quicotat Valley Health said it will pursue a scaled, solar-only effort using a Department of Commerce grant previously planned as a match to FEMA funds. Lewis said FEMA had been set to provide about $9,800,000 and the Commerce grant about $1,540,000 for the original project; with the FEMA funds removed, the group is converting the Commerce award into a standalone solar grant so the hospital can move forward on the solar portion.

Why it matters: The hospital’s capital investments are credited in meeting remarks with improving the institution’s financial position and with preventing longer-term failures in aging heating and cooling systems. Lewis said the broader capital program included roughly $10 million in energy-upgrade projects and that the new systems will reduce operational costs and improve resilience.

Most important details: The hospital will now install approximately 375 kilowatts of solar capacity at parking-lot carport arrays north of the hospital campus rather than the previously proposed 500 kW at the hospital and 500 kW at the school. Lewis said the design keeps the same number of parking spaces and replaces a gravel lot with pavement as part of the grant-funded work. "It's exactly the same number of parking spots," Lewis said when asked about capacity.

Lewis also described a planned ground-source heat-pump system identified in an earlier feasibility study. That system would use roughly 30 boreholes about 350 feet deep and is expected to reduce the hospital’s natural-gas need by an estimated 93 percent; the city presentation noted the hospital expects about $27,000 a year in electrical savings from related projects.

Questions and concerns raised by council members focused on scaling and long-term operations and safety. Council members asked whether the smaller solar campus still made financial sense and whether changing rural-health funding could affect the hospital’s ability to maintain projects. Lewis replied that the hospital’s board and auditors have repeatedly cited the financial benefits of prior capital investments and that 100% grant-funded elements materially improve cash flow through depreciation reimbursements from Medicare.

On safety, council members asked about fire risk. Lewis said the solar work will be "solar only with no batteries," and that battery systems are the larger fire risk; he added that standard wiring and inverter risks exist but are mitigated by circuit breakers and design best practices.

Logistics and next steps: Lewis said final designs for both the carport solar and the ground-source heat-pump systems will be submitted to the city for permitting. He noted the hospital will need an easement across East Allen Street to bring power and hydronic lines across the road and that staff have indicated, based on the medical-center zoning, the projects likely will not require a conditional-use hearing, though that still must be verified.

Council members suggested coordinating street work (East Allen Street paving and trenching) with the hospital construction to capture scale economies and reduce repeated disruptions; Lewis said staff would explore coordination with public works. Lewis also noted construction will be phased so only one lot will be under construction at a time, which will displace roughly 50 cars during those periods.

The presentation was informational; no formal council vote was taken on the solar or heat-pump work during the meeting.

Ending: Lewis said Quicotat Valley Health will finalize designs and file permit applications with the city and will continue coordinating with city staff on easement, permitting and any necessary right-of-way work.