ELLENSBURG, Wash. (AP) — Kittitas County is investigating whether the Washington state Department of Ecology violated the law as the agency was working to impose groundwater well restrictions there in 2009.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Candace Hooper told the Ellensburg Daily-Record on Monday that she is reviewing an investigation by the county Sheriff’s Office to decide if criminal charges should be filed.
The investigation centers on public statements made by Ecology Department officials as the agency sought to establish rules restricting new groundwater wells in upper Kittitas County.
Those rules were made permanent in December.
Ecology spokesman David Workman says the agency complied with all civil and criminal laws in developing the rules.
