Gov. Gregoire signs bills to aid recovery and prevent future flooding in the Chehalis River basin

For Immediate Release: March 27, 2008

CHEHALIS � Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed several bills to address flood control in the Chehalis River basin and the long-term recovery of southwest Washington communities affected by the brutal winter storm.

�I am very pleased to have signed these bills today. They will help to protect and restore communities in the Chehalis River basin,� Gregoire said. �But we need to be mindful that this is going to be a long-term recovery effort and in some respects the hard work has just begun.�

The first measure, House Bill 3374, will help prevent flooding by authorizing the sale of state bonds to fund flood hazard mitigation projects in the Chehalis basin. The second, House Bill 3375, authorizes $50 million in funding, up to $2.5 million of which is for the Chehalis Basin Flood Control Authority or other authorized local government groups to participate in flood hazard mitigation projects for the Chehalis River basin.

Gregoire said the legislation will support a partnership among local governments, the Chehalis tribe, and the state and the federal governments to develop projects that will help prevent a repeat of the disastrous December 2007 flooding.

�People and business must be protected,� Gregoire said. �Their lives, their homes and their job sites need to be safe and secure.�

Gregoire stressed that a comprehensive solution is needed.

�It�s not good enough to just look at preventing flooding in Centralia and Chehalis because we cannot simply push floodwaters downstream,� she said. �We must address the issue from the headwaters to the mouth of the river.�

Gregoire thanked Sen. Dan Swecker, R- Rochester, for his steadfast leadership spanning a number of years on this issue. She also thanked Reps. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, and Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, for sponsoring both flood bills, Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, for sponsoring the bond legislation and Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Olympia, for ensuring that funding was in the state budget. The governor also expressed appreciation to U.S. Rep. Brian Baird for leading the state�s congressional delegation in securing federal authorization for a flood control project.

While Gregoire signed today�s bills, pens crafted from downed trees from 10 counties that endured December�s storms were on display. Just two sets of pens were created. Those sets will be auctioned with the proceeds dedicated to flood relief through Washington Interfaith Disaster Recovery Organization. Call 253-426-2745 for details.

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