The French Files

For the press

Journalists may quote, link to, or otherwise use material from The French Files without permission. Each record includes details for validating its original source.

How to verify a record’s source

Apricus Big Rock Project -CoAH - 4202026.pdf

Example released file
PDF

2.4 MB

Original public-record request IDs

Use these IDs to verify records against the agencies’ original releases. I’m willing to share my public records account login with verified reporters so they can retrieve the data themselves.

City of Airway Heights

Open source portal

Public-record request IDs

  • 26-198
  • 26-206
  • 26-233
  • 26-247
  • 26-248
  • 26-255
  • 26-257

Spokane County

Open source portal

Public-record request IDs

  • R014632-061226
  • R014976-072226
  • R015003-072626
  • R015002-072626

Priority story leads

Leads—not settled conclusions. Review the full records and seek responses before publication.

  1. Gaps in proposed laws

  2. Airway Heights water insecurity and possible 1 million-gallon daily demand

    • Released records discuss possible demand reaching 1 million gallons per day. Source
    • Airway Heights has already flagged water insecurity as a local concern. Its 2026 climate assessment says the city faces water-supply constraints and will need to “conserve water locally.” Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment
    • In an email to Airway Heights Public Works Committee councilmembers, Katherine Miller said a study should assess the future cost of purchasing additional water from the City of Spokane if reclaimed water reserved for population growth went to the data center. Source
    • Washington is under a 2026 statewide drought declaration. Source

  3. Tax-break advocacy and developer edits

    • Al French supported extending sales-tax incentives to data centers. Source
    • He sent draft testimony to the Apricus CEO and a lobbyist: “Please edit at will.” Source

  4. A project larger than the county’s combined load

    • Planned campus: 1,000 MW; estimated grid upgrades: at least $184 million. Who pays for these upgrades? (see attachment)
    • Reported comparison: more than all county homes and businesses combined. Source

Additional issues to investigate

  1. City of Airway Heights PRR fee discrepancy

    • City of Airway Heights public-record request 26-206 was initially quoted a $750 Cycrest fee. Source
    • 26-198 also involved Cycrest but apparently had no equivalent charge. Source
    • The city redacted a source file asking for a Cycrest quote, citing attorney-client privilege: “-----6.PR26-206 Cycrest request for estimate AMENDED.eml-redacted.pdf.” Source file

  2. Differences among City of Airway Heights email productions

    • City of Airway Heights request 26-248 included an April 2026 Miller-to-Coleman thank-you email. Source
    • The email was not identified in overlapping releases 26-206 or 26-233.

  3. $36.78 million in Airway Heights water projects

    • Reported project total: nearly $36.78 million; secured funding: $14.95 million. Source

  4. Possible overlap in lobbying relationships

    • Airway Heights contracts with Capital Path for federal public affairs. (see page 6)
    • A contributor flagged a possible Capital Path–Apricus relationship. Emails involving Capital Path
    • Confirm Apricus’s representation through contracts and disclosures.

  5. Possible Open Public Meetings Act concerns

    • Emails reference discussions involving elected officials outside meeting records. Source 1 · Source 2

Questions, verification, or feature requests

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  • Use quotation marks for exact phrases; combine them with AND.
  • Contact @anonymous1843 with questions or feature requests.
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