OLYMPIA — A bill touted as a potential creator of freight jobs for Clark County was signed into law Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Senate Bill 5517 will allow certain lands near railroads to be developed for uses that depend on freight traffic, such as fabrication or storage industries, for example. Coal, crude oil and liquefied natural gas uses are excluded, however.
The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver. It applies only to Okanogan and Clark counties.
A similar bill sponsored in the House by Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, was vetoed in May. Wilson called its passage now a “rare opportunity.”
“It’s like a fourth-quarter comeback,” she said. “I’m honored the governor approached me to revive this bill and give us another shot at bringing these jobs to Clark County.”
