Meadowdale residents press Edmonds council for records, answers on Lynnwood wastewater-plant expansion
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Summary
Multiple Meadowdale residents told the Edmonds City Council they learned only recently that Lynnwood plans a roughly $250 million expansion of its wastewater treatment plant near Edmonds homes and asked the city to share records, confirm whether a draft environmental impact statement has been issued, and press Lynnwood on odor and emissions.
Edmonds residents spoke at length to the City Council on Oct. 28 to press the city for information about a reported expansion of the Lynnwood wastewater treatment plant that neighbors say will take land in the Meadowdale neighborhood.
At public comment, residents said they only recently learned about a proposed roughly $250 million expansion project that they said would add capacity and construction through the mid-2030s and would affect homes that sit within a few hundred yards of the existing plant. ‘‘The news of the expansion has caused a great deal of surprise and unrest,’’ said resident John Quast, who asked the council for any Edmonds records of negotiations with Lynnwood and for copies of environmental reviews.
Stephanie McLaughlin, who describes herself as a civil engineer and Meadowdale resident, told council members she and neighbors first learned of the project from a neighbor who had been contacted by Lynnwood about a property sale. ‘‘This project has been underway for at least five years,’’ McLaughlin said, and she urged Edmonds to share documents and confirm whether a draft environmental impact statement has been circulated and when public comment opportunities will be scheduled.
Several other residents described long-standing odor, noise and emissions concerns near the existing plant. One speaker said he had read that the plant was fined about $540,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency for emissions violations; another said neighbors report repeated odor complaints. Resident Steve Conroy said the incinerator serving the plant has had problems for decades and that residents face pollution and noise in backyards and homes near the stack.
Council members did not adopt any resolution or formal action on the expansion during the Oct. 28 meeting. City staff called attention to the fact that Lynnwood is the project sponsor and that much of the plant's existing capacity serves Lynnwood customers, but residents asked Edmonds for help getting documents and for an explanation of any contacts the city has had with Lynnwood concerning property acquisition or project review.
Council President Tibbitt and others told speakers council staff will work to assemble information about any records the city holds and explained that interjurisdictional projects can involve overlapping authorities. Several residents asked the council to seek documentation of negotiations, public-notice efforts and environmental review materials and to share those records with affected homeowners.
What happened next: Council members acknowledged the concerns and noted the matter will be raised again while staff compiles any records. No formal motion to send a letter or to demand action from Lynnwood was passed on Oct. 28.
Why it matters: Neighbors say the expansion concerns them for public health, property, and process reasons — in particular whether adequate environmental review and notice to affected Edmonds residents occurred. The project is outside Edmonds city limits but immediate to Edmonds homes and neighborhoods; residents asked their city government for transparency and assistance in locating documents and opportunities to comment.
