We take issue with the state of Washington forcing Kootenai County to double our wastewater bill. The story we're about to lay out for you may sound ridiculous. Unfortunately, the story is true and parallels "taxation without representation."

Despite aggressive efforts by the cities of Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene and Hayden to combat this in and outside of court, the viability of our economy is being severely threatened by water treatment requirements imposed on our North Idaho communities by the EPA and the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE).

Here's the situation: Because Washington is downstream from Idaho, the EPA and WDOE can demand us to upgrade our wastewater facilities regardless of cost. Washington's ability to do so lies in a 1992 Supreme Court ruling (AR vs. OK), where downstream states may dictate water quality standards to upstream states, controlling pollution levels which would later flow downstream. These "levels" are referred to as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

The permit being issued to you will cost Kootenai County at least $100 million, plus interest. It's entirely possible that your water bill will double within the year. This money won't be used to remove carcinogens, but only phosphorus. Our cities already remove what current technology allows.

"Why?" you might ask. According to the EPA, it's to help clean an algae-filled lake in Washington. Unfortunately, Long Lake has had a shoreline septic system, which has consistently leaked and overflowed into that lake for four decades. According to an evaluation prepared for the city of Post Falls by Tischler Bise, even if 100 percent of the phosphorus was removed from our discharge, the change would have little, if any effect on Long Lake.

The new requirements will do nothing to solve Washington's problem. They will however affect every resident of Kootenai County. Whether you rent or own, your bill will go up. If you're a new business looking to move here, your bill will go up. If you're an old business wanting to stay, your bill will go up.

This is a meteorite heading straight for Kootenai County.

We agree with the Tischler Bise evaluation. These permits will offer little environmental benefit, but will carry dramatic economic consequences. The parallels between this situation and "taxation without representation" are obvious and we refuse to do nothing. If you are a resident of Kootenai County, please make your elected officials at all levels aware of the severity of the TMDL permits. Ask them to take aggressive action to prevent Idaho from being hamstrung by requirements set by an agency of the state of Washington.

Rep. Hart plhart@house.idaho.gov

Rep. Barbieri vbar@house.idaho.gov

Sen. Vick sjvick@senate.idaho.gov

Sen. Goedde jgoedde@senate.idaho.gov

Rep. Chadderdon mchadderdon@house.idaho.gov

Rep. Sims ksims@house.idaho.gov

Sen. Hammond jhammond@senate.idaho.gov

Rep. Nonini bnonini@house.idaho.gov

Rep. Henderson fhenderson@house.idaho.gov

Gov. Otter (208) 334-2100

Federal

Sen. Crapo (202) 228-1375

Sen. Risch (202) 224-2752

Rep. Labrador (208) 938-2500

To request more information, please contact Eric Keck ekeck@postfallsidaho.org in the city of Post Falls or Sid Fredrickson sidf@cdaid.org with the Coeur d'Alene Wastewater Administration.

By the way, soon the EPA is going to ask us to refrigerate our water before discharging it too. This must stop.

Craig Wilcox is a financial consultant with D.A. Davidson & Co.

Len Crosby is the vice president of Community 1st Bank.