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Governor Gregoire Announces State Will Lead Flood Control Project

For Immediate Release: December 8, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that the State of Washington will become the sponsor of the US Army Corps of Engineers flood control project for Centralia, Chehalis and the Interstate 5 freeway.

�I have directed the Washington Department of Transportation to step forward as the state�s lead agency for this work, and to prepare the necessary agreements to ensure an active partnership with the county, the cities, the Corps of Engineers and others as needed,� Gov. Gregoire said.

Gov. Gregoire also announced that she is asking the Legislature to restore funding for the Lewis County flood control project and that she would ask for authority to issue $50 million in dedicated general obligation bonds for the state�s portion of the project.

The flood control project has been authorized by Congress. It is a partnership between Lewis County, the State of Washington and the federal government.

�We are fortunate that Congress recently authorized this federal project,� said Gov. Gregoire. �Sens. Murray and Cantwell, along with Cong. Baird and Cong. Dicks, deserve our thanks for their support in getting this done. With that authorization, I have asked our Congressional delegation to move forward with federal funding.

I want to thank Sen. Swecker and Reps. Alexander and DeBolt for their support of the state taking the lead. We stand united on this � we can�t and we won�t wait around for the next flood.�

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