(The Center Square) – Facing $100,000 in fines, a Spokane County farmer now has 30 days to pay up or appeal after irrigating his property without permission as the state cuts access for dozens of others.
According to a news release, the Washington State Department of Ecology first took issue with Robert Greiff in 2019. The state typically requires water rights permits for anything outside of minor projects or when that water comes from a utility provider, especially for farms using surface and groundwater.
State law follows a “first-in-time, first-in-right” framework, meaning that Ecology prioritizes access for senior water right holders. Reporting by The Spokesman-Review recently found that Spokane just had its driest summer yet, which Ecology says led to the shutdown of water for nearly 160 rights holders…