City’s lawsuit blasts EPA river cleanup plan

Post Falls and the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in federal court over a plan to clean pollution in the Spokane River. In the lawsuit, the city and sewer board say the EPA violated the Clean Water Act in May by approving the interstate cleanup plan, which was developed by the Washington Department of Ecology. The city and sewer board contend the plan transfers a disproportionate burden of cleaning Washington’s water onto Idaho citizens. The Coeur d’Alene Press reports both the EPA and Post Falls officials declined to comment on the lawsuit. Coeur d’Alene city attorney Mike Gridley says his city also plans to sue the EPA, and the lawsuit will likely be consolidated with the one brought by Post Falls.