Spokane, WA
Proposed Build out: Supercenter
Current Status: April 1 "No South Hill Wal-Mart" filed a complaint with the city alleging Wal-Mart developers illegally filled in wetlands
Principal Contact: Susan Brudnicki --
Primary Website: http://www.nosouthhillwalmart.com/
In Spokane, WA, citizens are trying desperately to stop the construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter that will destroy valued wetlands and have potentially devastating effects on the region's water supply. Recently, Wal-Mart submitted an application for an 186,000 square foot Supercenter on an already environmentally sensitive 7.8 acre plot of land in the South Hills area of Spokane.
Wal-Mart's application indicates that there are no concerns with regard to any environmental issues, despite the fact that this site has 2 federally delineated wetlands, sits over a watershed, lies within an aquifer recharge area, and lies close to a natural drainage area that must be maintained. After first ruling that the site application was exempt from review by the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the city of Spokane has shifted its position and is requiring the review. A citizen group called No South Hill Wal-Mart has organized and is urging SEPA to conduct an environmental impact study to examine the issues presented by the site plan.
Several experienced organizers with strong roots in the community are working to organize this citizen group and they are making great strides in raising awareness in the community and garnering the financial support they will need to defeat Wal-Mart. They are hiring an attorney and a traffic engineer to help them make their case and will continue to bring attention to the environmental impacts of a Wal-Mart Supercenter.
