Port receives preview on upcoming legislative tour

Kristin Kemak, Lewis-Clark Valley Chamber president, last Thursday reported to Port of Whitman commissioners and staff about the Eastern Washington Legislative Tour scheduled Sept. 15-17. It will include tours of schools, businesses and projects around Eastern Washington and part of Idaho.

Kemak said this tour is modeled after the Idaho legislative tour which normally brings 70 legislators.

Kemak said in 2016, Lewis-Clark Valley Chamber started to manage the tour with stops in Moscow, Lewiston, Coeur d' Alene and Post Falls.

She said this was the year to finally make an Eastern Washington tour happen.

Kemak said it takes about $70,000 to $100,000 to put on the tour, which comes from sponsors.

The Port of Whitman and the Port of Clarkston are among 15 total sponsors.

"They're more likely to come if they don't have to pay the bill," Kemak said.

During the tour, legislators will get a chance to see the road improvement project between Pullman and Spokane, and construction at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport.

The tour will present information about the Snake River system and several other topics.

Kemak brought up concerns about the Nez Perce tribe and the Port have different views on the Snake River Dams and how that owuld be presented to the legislators.

In the past, the tribe talked about the economic impact of gaming to lawmakers, Kemak said, but there is a possibility the tribe could bring up breaching the local dams.

She said the tribe holds a position on the Lewiston/Clarkston Chamber of Commerce Board and is aware they are the only entity that is in support of dam breaching.

"It is not an issue for us," Kemak said. "What's going to happen in the board meeting is when we reaffirm our resolution to oppose dam breaching, there will be one nay in the room, everybody else will be an yes, and it will pass."

Port Chair Kristine Meyer said it's no secret about the tribe's position about dams, but it is important they have the chance to speak because they are paying the same amount as the other sponsors.

Kemak said the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley Chamber has a resolution in opposition to breaching the dams.

"We need our dams," she said.

Another issue Kemak spoke about was making sure legislators know that Eastern Washington is very connected to the Moscow area.

"The decisions they make on the west side, they don't just impact all of us on the east side of Washington, but they do have an impact on the people in Idaho as well," she commented.

Kemak said Lewiston, Clarkston, Pullman and Moscow are in intermixed economy.

"We thought it was important for our legislators on the west side of the state to have a better understanding who we are and how we are mixed together," she said.