Spokane County grants easement allowing Avista to remove overhead powerlines to lower wildfire risk
May 15—Mica Peak is about to shed the power lines hanging off its back, which should be welcome news to the homeowners near the recreation area.
The Spokane County Commission voted 5-0 to grant a 10-foot-wide easement to Avista Utilities Tuesday that will allow the power company to bury their existing 1.5 mile powerline network that runs through public land on the mountain's northern face. Avista will cover the cost of the transition, according to the company's web page detailing the work.
Burying the lines will lessen the risk of wildfires and power outages in the densely wooded area, and will require less maintenance, Avista spokesman David Vowels said. A number of wildfires have been linked to power equipment nationwide in recent years, including the 2020 Babb Road Fire, which sparked when a tree branch fell on an Avista powerline during a windstorm.
The work on Mica Peak is part of the company's broader "strategic undergrounding" project. Avista also will transition overhead lines to underground ones in the Moran Prairie neighborhood on the South Hill and in the unincorporated community of Dartford by the end of the summer, according to the project website.
In 2017, Spokane County acquired the roughly 900 acre property the power lines currently hang above for $2.3 million, a purchase that connected the Mica Peak Conservation Area to Liberty Lake Regional Park for a combined 5,300 acres of public lands.
The agreement approved Tuesday replaces a 60-foot-wide one granted to the utility in 1997 by the land's former owner, Inland Empire Paper Co. It will result in a return of 50 feet of public property along the line's path from the Federal Aviation Administration radar station at the mountain's peak, north to around East Henry Road.
Inland Empire is owned by the Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.
Work on the underground lines will begin in mid-July, and customers in the area will be notified of any outages as a result of the work, Vowels said.
Avista has agreed to rehabilitate the former easement parameters back into natural habitat. Over the next three years, Avista will "provide erosion and sediment control, reseed with native seed mixes, control noxious weeds and monitor the disturbed areas," according to a copy of the revegetation plan included in county records.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Business Insider
Jefferies Sticks to Their Hold Rating for Avista (AVA)
Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin Smith maintained a Hold rating on Avista (AVA – Research Report) today and set a price target of $40.00. The company's shares opened today at $37.14. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Dumoulin Smith covers the Utilities sector, focusing on stocks such as NRG Energy, Centerpoint Energy, and Hawaiian Electric. According to TipRanks, Dumoulin Smith has an average return of 3.8% and a 53.62% success rate on recommended stocks. Avista has an analyst consensus of Moderate Sell, with a price target consensus of $41.00. The company has a one-year high of $43.09 and a one-year low of $33.45. Currently, Avista has an average volume of 885K. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 80 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of AVA in relation to earlier this year. Most recently, in March 2025, Bryan Alden Cox, the SVP of AVA sold 3,322.00 shares for a total of $129,890.20.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Avista Healthcare Partners Acquires EBI from Highridge Medical, Marking 50th Platform Investment
NEW YORK, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avista Healthcare Partners ("Avista"), a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on healthcare, today announced its acquisition of EBI, the bone healing division of Highridge Medical ("EBI" or the "Company"). The acquisition marks the 50th platform healthcare investment for Avista and its founding members – underscoring the firm's long-standing commitment to building category-leading healthcare businesses. With a long track record of backing healthcare product and technology businesses and scaling them globally, Avista brings deep operational expertise and a differentiated ability to execute complex corporate carve-outs. Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, EBI is the pioneer of electrobiology innovations and has been leading the industry for over four decades with the largest portfolio of clinically proven, safe and effective implantable and non-invasive bone growth stimulation solutions to support bone regeneration and healing outcomes. EBI has the broadest bone growth stimulation technology and product portfolio and is the first and only company with both implantable and non-invasive, PMA-approved bone growth stimulation solutions to promote spinal fusion and fracture nonunion healing outcomes. Kevin Kenny, an Avista Strategic Executive, joined EBI as Chief Executive Officer at closing. Kevin brings extensive experience in the medical device sector, having most recently served as President of the Global Spine segment at Orthofix Medical, where he led the global spinal implants, motion preservation, bone growth therapies, and biologics businesses. "I am thrilled to be a part of EBI's next chapter as a standalone company. I am confident in EBI's ability to advance its leadership in bone healing technologies, driven by strategic initiatives and a relentless commitment to excellence. Our focus is clear as we position EBI as the most innovative leader in bone healing science — delivering solutions that improve patient outcomes," said Kevin Kenny. Vincent Binetti, EBI's Chief Operating Officer said, "This transaction marks an important milestone in the EBI journey. We have come to know Kevin and the Avista team over the last several months and are excited about the numerous opportunities ahead of us as a standalone entity." "EBI represents an attractive opportunity to acquire a leader in the bone stimulation category," said Garrett Lustig, Principal at Avista. "Given our track record of successful corporate carve-out transactions, we believe we are well-positioned to support EBI's growth initiatives. We look forward to working with Kevin and the EBI team to unlock the company's full potential and execute on many compelling opportunities." Ropes & Gray LLP acted as legal advisor to Avista. About Avista Healthcare Partners Founded in 2005, Avista Healthcare Partners is a leading New York-based private equity firm with over $9 billion invested in 50 growth-oriented healthcare businesses globally. Avista partners with businesses that feature strong management teams, stable cash flows and robust growth prospects – targeting healthcare product and technology businesses with clear scale potential across six sub-sectors experiencing strong tailwinds. The team is supported by a group of seasoned Strategic Executives enhancing the entire investment process through strategic insight, long-term value and sustainable businesses. For more information, visit or follow Avista on LinkedIn. About EBI For over 45 years, EBI has been at the forefront of electrobiology innovations, offering the largest and most robust portfolio of clinically proven implantable and non-invasive bone growth stimulation solutions. As now the only pure-play bone growth stimulation company, EBI provides unique technologies and products that specifically target the challenges faced with nonhealing fractures and high-risk spinal fusion patients. Since its pioneering product launch in 1979, EBI has been leading in the industry in bone growth stimulation innovation. For more information, visit For media inquiries, please contact:Daniel Yunger / William HallidayKekst / / 917.842.2709 View original content: SOURCE Avista Healthcare Partners
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Avista enacts temporary change to power line operations for summer
Fire Safety mode increases power line sensitivity ahead of the 2025 wildfire season. SPOKANE, Wash., June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to dry summer conditions and increasing wildfire danger in the region, Avista is applying temporary changes to power line operations in its Washington and Idaho service areas. Avista has implemented this operational change, now called Fire Safety Mode, for over 20 years. A key part of Avista's wildfire strategy is its use of Fire Safety Mode, which adjusts how the system responds to faults during high-risk weather. Unlike normal operations, where lines may attempt to re-energize automatically, Fire Safety Mode keeps lines de-energized until crews confirm it is safe to restore power. While this may extend outage times, it significantly reduces the risk of ignition. 'Wildfire preparedness is not just a seasonal effort—it's a year-round responsibility,' said Heather Rosentrater, CEO of Avista. 'We've invested in infrastructure, technology, and operational practices that help us respond to changing conditions and protect the communities we serve. Our focus on safety is foundational to all we do.' Since launching its Wildfire Resiliency Plan in 2020, Avista has completed numerous grid-hardening projects in high-risk areas. These include replacing wooden transmission poles with steel, installing fire-retardant mesh at pole bases, and upgrading wooden crossarms to fiberglass. In certain areas, Avista will be converting its overhead power lines to underground service to further reduce the risk of wildfire. The company has also expanded vegetation management to reduce the risk of trees contacting power lines. In the most extreme conditions, Avista may implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), a targeted, temporary outage in areas facing severe wildfire risk. PSPS is a last-resort measure, used only when weather conditions such as high winds and low humidity create a heightened threat. Avista crews patrol affected lines before restoring power, and Community Resource Centers may be activated to support customers during extended outages. What customers can do: Make sure your information is up to date with Avista. Avista wants to be able to reach customers about potential outages. Visit to update account information or call customer service at (800) 227-9187. Let Avista know if there are medical devices that rely on electricity. Customer information will be added to a list of customers who receive extra notifications in case of an extended outage. Learn more at Be prepared for outages. Customers should keep emergency supplies together in one place, like flashlights and backup portable chargers. There should be a few days' supply of shelf-stable food and water for all people and pets in your home. Learn more at to create a to-do list in case of an outage. For more information about Avista's wildfire preparedness and PSPS plans, visit About Avista UtilitiesAvista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 422,000 customers and natural gas to 383,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.7 million. Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visit Avista Corp. and the Avista Corp. logo are trademarks of Avista Corporation. To unsubscribe from Avista's news release distribution, send reply message to Contact:Media: David Vowels, 24/7 Media Access (509) 495-4174Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
