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FSEC staff brief council on Cascadia/Cascade transmission review, tribal consultations and NEPA coordination
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Summary
FSEC staff updated the council on the Cascade/Cascadia Renewable Transmission Project application, including interagency coordination with DNR and Ecology, an Army Corps invitation to participate as a cooperating NEPA agency, initial government‑to‑government tribal consultations starting in February, and ongoing land‑use consistency work with local jurisdictions.
FSEC staff told the council on Jan. 21 that review of the large transmission application is progressing and that multiple coordination tracks are underway, including an invitation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to participate as a cooperating agency on the project’s NEPA environmental impact statement.
Maria Belkina, siting specialist assigned to the transmission application, said staff are preparing consolidated data requests, expecting agency comments and working to sequence Section 401 water‑quality certification after a sufficiently developed SEPA environmental record. She also said initial government‑to‑government consultations with tribes are scheduled to start in early February and that staff have engaged local jurisdictions along the proposed route to ensure they appoint council members where required.
Council members asked about the timing and the role of land‑use consistency hearings. John Thompson, assistant attorney general, summarized the statutory framework (RCW 80.50) requiring public informational hearings within 60 days of application receipt and explained that there is no statutory requirement that all eligible appointing jurisdictions have seated council members before holding those informational hearings. Thompson recommended supplementing the record and delaying final deliberation on land‑use consistency until additional appointments and responses are available when that is appropriate.
Local and tribal engagement
Councilors and staff emphasized the importance of proactive tribal outreach and making it as efficient as possible for tribes and local governments. Lisa McLean (tribal liaison) reported outreach to 32 tribes and active contact with several (Yakima, CTUIR, Umatilla, Warm Springs and others). Staff said they are coordinating to present more detail to the council about how NEPA/SEPA coordination with the Corps will work and plan to brief the council in a future meeting when that work is further developed.
Why it matters
The project spans multiple jurisdictions and requires interagency and tribal coordination. Progress on the environmental record and land‑use consistency determinations will influence sequencing for permits, the scope of required studies and later adjudicative decisions.
