The Port of Vancouver has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a lawsuit over its acknowledged failure to follow the state's open meetings law.

Commissioners met in secret to discuss to lease pricing for the then-proposed Vancouver Energy oil terminal.



The Columbian reported Thursday that the payment will cover court costs and fees incurred by Columbia Riverkeeper, Sierra Club and Northwest Environmental Defense Center.



The groups sued the port district in 2013 after its governing board held closed-door meetings from February to July of that year to discuss the lowest prices they'd be willing to accept pricing for the terminal.



In March, the parties agreed the port would admit to violating the Washington Open Public Meetings Act during executive session meetings.



The resolution came after a 2017 state Supreme Court ruling that found the port went too far during executive sessions when discussing the minimum price for a real estate lease.





-- The Associated Press