Agriculture in Yakima Valley Getting The Attention of Govenor Inslee

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — Central Washington's agricultural Yakima River Basin is getting some attention from Gov. Jay Inslee's first proposal to the state Legislature.

The bill would require the state to begin implementing a long-term plan for improving water supplies in a region where periodic droughts reduce stream flows for farmers, communities and threatened fish.

The $4 billion long-term plan was released jointly by the state and federal governments last year after months of discussions by conservation and farm groups, local communities and the Yakama Nation.

Inslee says the plan is a concrete and specific proposal for bolstering agriculture and the economy in central Washington.

He says he supports spending $23.6 million over the next two years on specific projects laid out in the plan.