KENNEWICK — The coalition of Tri-City governments pushing for local control of the Columbia River shoreline is now complete.
The Port of Benton became the final agency to support a movement to end 60-plus years of federal control of the Benton-Franklin shoreline Wednesday when the port commission voted unanimously to lend its voice. The Port of Kennewick did so on Tuesday.
“The Port supports other local government efforts as they pursue such a transfer for the benefit of the region,” it said in a letter.
With the two ports now aboard, all local counties, cities and ports have agreed to support efforts led by former Rep. Doc Hastings of Pasco. Hastings is working with former Kennewick Mayor Brad Fisher and Gary Petersen of the Tri-City Development Council to lobby Congress to reconvey ownership of 34 miles of shoreline to local agencies.
The Army Corps of Engineers has controlled the local shoreline since 1948, when it condemned much of the land for flood control. It later purchased additional land when it constructed McNary Dam.
Supporters say transferring control to a city, county or port will improve management for recreation and economic development. Dams on the Columbia and Snake River systems have all but eliminated the threat of major floods, eliminating the need for federal control, they argue.
The shoreline control movement began in 2014 after U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in response to a question posed by Fisher, told area business leaders that she would consider local control if there were widespread local support.
In May, the U.S. House approved the National Defense Authorization Act, which included language inserted by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., directing the Army Corps to document the process it used to acquire the shoreline in the first place.
