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Residents urge more scrutiny of proposed Cascadia Ridge battery storage site near Snoqualmie trails and schools
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment at the March 9 council meeting to raise fire, contamination, noise and evacuation concerns about a proposed 45‑acre battery storage facility near Fisher Creek and Snoqualmie trail systems; council noted permitting is handled by unincorporated King County and will pass public feedback to the county and the developer.
Snoqualmie — At the March 9 Snoqualmie City Council meeting several residents urged the council and county to subject the proposed Cascadia Ridge / Juniper (Juniper Power) battery storage project to careful scrutiny, citing potential fire, explosion, toxic‑gas and groundwater contamination risks and urging officials to require safer technology alternatives and detailed SEPA modeling.
Sue Vergau, who said she lives below the proposed site, described the project as "45 acres proposed just south of Forest Creek/Fisher Creek Park" adjoining trails, wetlands and habitat. "These have extreme danger of fires and explosions," she said, adding concerns about toxic off‑gassing and long‑duration incidents that can force evacuations.
Other residents echoed safety and quality‑of‑life concerns. Carissa Wakeford, who said she lives in Fisher Creek Park, described a plume‑model scenario that could extend toward Fall City and parts of North Bend and asked the city to help protect water and children. Brock Brady, while not opposed to clean energy, urged the city to ask Juniper Power to evaluate long‑duration iron‑air storage technologies (which he said present low fire and chemical risk) and to require a written tax‑credit eligibility analysis and SEPA modeling of downstream contamination risk.
Council and staff clarified process limits: Council member Cotton reminded speakers that the site is in unincorporated King County and that King County public hearings and permitting are the appropriate forums, and he said the city has been forwarding written comments to King County Council member Sarah Perry. Council scheduled committee changes so members could attend a developer public meeting next week.
Juniper Power had announced a developer public meeting for March 17; commenters asked the city to compile information about local firefighter training, evacuation routes and potential water contamination pathways and to ensure those concerns are captured in the county permitting record.
No regulatory action by the city over county permitting was taken at the meeting; council members said they would pass comments to King County and encouraged residents to participate in the county process.
The council also adjusted committee schedules to allow council members to attend the March 17 developer presentation.
