WHEREAS, for the last three decades, Moscow has been the retail trade hub of the Palouse WHEREAS, Whitman County has an annual retail sales leakage estimated at $158.4 million, much of that captured by the City of Moscow WHEREAS, retail and commercial development in the Pullman-Moscow corridor would achieve a desired balance in trade between our two communities and provide Whitman County with much-needed economic sustainability WHEREAS, cooperation between our two communities is vital to the economic and environmental health and well-being of all residents of the Palouse WHEREAS, the City of Moscow has opposed retail and commercial and development in the corridor on environmental and land use grounds WHEREAS, the laws of the State of Washington and Whitman County provide for the promulgation of environmental and land use policies by duly elected state and local officials WHEREAS, the proposed Hawkins Companies development in the corridor has met all required state and local environmental and land use regulations WHEREAS, the City of Moscow\'s protest of the Hawkins Companies\' four water rights transfers represent an unwanted, unwarranted, and unnecessary intrusion into the affairs of another sovereign government that has strained relations between our two communities WE NOW, THEREFORE, request that the Moscow City Council direct the City Attorney to withdraw the City\'s protest of the water rights transfers and allow the Whitman County Water Conservancy Board and the Washington Department of Ecology to make the decision without interference as autonomous governing bodies under the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Washington