YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - The fight over who can operate a ferry on Lake Chelan has moved to court.
Two brothers in the remote community of Stehekin have filed suit against the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, arguing that a nearly century-old state law governing ferry operators has resulted in a government-imposed monopoly.
The law requires potential operators to obtain from the state a certificate showing the public need for service.
Jim and Cliff Courtney say the law protects existing ferry providers from competition. The Courtney family operates a ranch in Stehekin, which is reachable only by boat, floatplane or on foot.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Courtneys Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Spokane by the nonprofit Institute for Justice, a libertarian public-interest law firm based in Arlington, Va.
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