WASHOUGAL — The developers behind a $1.5 billion project to bury a 100-mile-long transmission line under the Columbia River made their case to state permitters Monday night in Washougal.

The Cascade Renewable Transmission System project has faced pushback from Native groups and environmental advocates for the harm it stands to cause the already struggling river . But that did not translate into much pushback at the first hearing for the project in Washington. Monday’s meeting was sparsely attended.

Teryn Yazdani of Columbia Riverkeeper and other critics suggested that could be due to the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council’s decision to host the meeting far from Interstate 5 population centers. The council provides an expedited one-stop shop for needed Washington permits.

So

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