04/07/2026
Many of us in Snoqualmie are concerned about the battery energy storage project proposed adjacent to our city, including its safety, proximity to homes, and whether this use fits with the long-term vision and plan for this area. I believe these concerns are reasonable.
Our comprehensive plan anticipates residential, mixed use, and employment uses here over time. A large-scale battery facility is a very different use, and it is appropriate to question whether it belongs in this location. Based on what we know today, it appears inconsistent with how this area has been planned for long-term integration into the city.
There are a couple of principles that matter here. Property owners and applicants have the right to bring forward proposals. At the same time, residents have the right to raise concerns and have those concerns heard through a regulatory process designed to ensure safety, environmental protection, and land use compatibility, and to allow only projects that meet those standards. I understand the frustration that this process is at the county level rather than within Snoqualmie and can feel more distant from our community. I am encouraged by how engaged Snoqualmie residents have been and the clarity of the concerns being raised.
If the developer proceeds with this proposal, it is critical that the process is fair, fact-based, and free from bias. That is how we protect the integrity of the outcome and ensure that residents and the city have a meaningful voice. If we donโt, it limits our ability to influence the result.
I also want to address something that does not represent our community. A flyer has been circulated that uses racist imagery and publishes the home address of a local property owner.
While multiple property owners are involved, only one was singled out: a single woman living with her daughter on a rural parcel. Publishing someoneโs home address in this context puts a member of our community at risk. Strong concerns about a project should be directed at the project, not at a person.
For residents who want to make a difference, this project will be reviewed through the county process, and that process has teeth. Environmental review, public comment, and hearings all become part of the official record, and that record drives decisions. If you want to be effective:
โข Focus on this location and why you believe it does not fit
โข Use clear, fact-based input tied to safety, environment, and land use for this proposal, grounded in current standards and the specifics of this project
โข Participate in official comment periods and hearings
โข Keep it constructive so your input carries weight
As mayor, public safety is my top priority, and both I and the city council are following this closely. The city will engage at the appropriate points to ensure our plans and interests are understood, and resident input is central to that process. Please be cautious about information that is designed to inflame rather than inform. Not everything being circulated is accurate or helpful.
Our community can support clean energy and still be thoughtful about where projects are sited. We can hold both, and we will continue to share information as this moves forward so residents can stay informed and engaged.
Mayor James Mayhew
City of Snoqualmie
