Spokane adopts 2026 legislative agenda as residents push to protect waste‑to‑energy plant
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Summary
Council adopted the city’s 2026 legislative agenda after public testimony urging stronger state advocacy to protect Spokane’s waste‑to‑energy facility; a local resident warned failure could force $8 million in new charges or closure, and the agenda passed 5‑2.
The Spokane City Council adopted Resolution 25‑0103, the city’s legislative agenda for the 2026 state session, after public testimony and council discussion. The resolution passed 5‑2.
Larry Andrews, a Spokane resident and business owner, told the council Spokane’s top legislative priority should be to support the local waste‑to‑energy facility. He said Senate Bill 5703 (which advanced through the state senate but stalled in committee this year) was aimed at protecting municipal solid waste systems, and warned that if Spokane cannot secure enabling legislation, the facility could face an $8 million annual charge or closure. “If we don't get this legislation passed, the waste‑to‑energy facility will either have to start charging us users $8,000,000 a year or close,” Andrews said.
Council members generally expressed support for protecting the facility but some said the draft legislative language “missed the mark” and they would not support the agenda as written. Speakers discussed negotiating language and the need for broader, collaborative advocacy to carry the issue across legislative chambers.
The adopted agenda includes local priorities to be advanced by the mayor and city lobbyists in the 2026 state session; the transcript records the public call for a stronger, unified advocacy strategy to protect jobs, ratepayers and the facility’s environmental benefits, but does not quote specific legislative language in full.
Vote: Resolution 25‑0103 adopted 5‑2.