Developer Pulls Plug On Sewage Lagoon Surprise Move Anticipates Meeting With County Planners Over Island Project

After facing stiff opposition from environmental agencies and residents, a developer withdrew his plan for a 2.5-million gallon sewage lagoon on a Clark Fork River island.

Jim White, a Clark Fork contractor, started building the lagoon on Derr Island several years ago without proper county permits.

He was supposed to face county planners today for a final decision on the controversial job. The meeting was canceled after White pulled his application.

“It was a surprise. He just came in and said he was not going to do it,” said Bonner County Planner Marty Taylor.

That was welcome news to a handful of Derr Island residents trying to stop the massive sewage pond. But they aren’t celebrating until they know the project is dead.

“It’s unclear what this means. It could simply just be set aside and resubmitted later,” said island resident Dave Lisaius. “We certainly want to put a final end to this. We are still pursuing that.”

Neither White nor his project manager, Bryan Quayle, were available for comment.

Lisaius said he was shocked White backed out of the job, and guessed it was only because county planners were ready to scuttle the proposal.

Taylor said he was not recommending approval for the lagoon. Several environmental agencies also were opposed, saying a sewage pond on an island, in a flood plain and near wetlands was risky.

White had already built a football field-sized berm on the island, which sits in the mouth of the Clark Fork River about 30 miles east of Sandpoint.

That work was stopped last year after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discovered White illegally filled in some wetlands.

Island residents now want the berm removed and damage White did to the island repaired.

“I guess the question now is if anyone will make him return the island to its original condition,” Lisaius said. “We are going to pursue that.”

White, who owns nearly half of the 370-acre island, said he needed the lagoon in order to sell his 38-lot subdivision. Septic systems are no longer allowed on the island and the lots are worthless without a sewage system. The island now has about six residents, but only one lives there year-round.

Lisaius said the residents are not anti-development, but also don’t want a giant cesspool near their homes or leaching waste into ground water and the river.

“Quite frankly, we would support White putting in something other than a sewage lagoon,” he said.

, DataTimes