Klickitat Public Utility District Commissioners gave conditional approval to proceeding with engineering and environmental work for the permitting of the John Day Hydroelectric Pumped Storage Project.  PUD General Manager Jim Smith says cost of the work would be over one-point-eight million dollars, and the PUD is looking for partners to assist with those costs, and they could stop work toward the permit at any time if they can’t find funding.  He added the Commissioners are willing to move forward with budgeted funds, but they won’t pay the full cost by themselves.  A funding request to Klickitat County Commissioners for $500,000 for the project is in process.  In addition, the PUD plans to advance discussion with the Washington Department of Ecology on site clean-up, with Smith adding the PUD board is not willing to enter into a situation where ratepayers would be liable for cleanup of the former aluminum shelter site adjacent to John Day Dam.  The pumped storage project is estimated to cost over two billion dollars, and Smith emphasized someone else would build it, not the PUD.