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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 1997
97-130
Contacts:
Tim D'Acci (360) 407-6796
Mary Getchell (360) 407-6157, Pager (360) 534-8590
"Helping communities with financial and technical assistance is a major part of Ecology's work to protect the environment. These funds are aimed at permanent solutions to protect our state's natural resources and public property," said Tom Fitzsimmons, Ecology's director. "It's good news that so many local governments are working to plan for floods. Paying now in prevention and flood hazard reduction is much less costly than the multi-million dollar property losses that can result from flooding."
This year Ecology had more communities ask for funding than in previous years. The legislature appropriated $4 million for flood prevention grants. Ecology is using $2.8 million to fund $16.3 million worth of requests. In the spring, Ecology asked for public comments on a list of projects the agency proposed to fund. As a result of the comments, Ecology is offering to support 49 of the 142 applications submitted by 92 local governments, Native American tribes and special diking districts.
Nearly half of the grants will go toward flood planning or studies to help communities prepare. Grants will also be used to fund a number of early warning systems to forecast floods and provide information to make decisions about evacuations and road closures, to protect people and property.
The grants program is a local-state partnership, with local governments paying a portion of the total project costs. The legislature created the Flood Control Assistance Account Program in 1988. The program is one of several state and federal grant options available to assist local communities control and prevent floods.
Following is a list of the government organizations Ecology is offering to fund.
| Benton County | Mason County |
| Buckley | Mount Vernon |
| Bucoda | North Bend |
| Centralia | Okanogan County |
| Clallam County | Pacific County Flood Control Zone District No. 1 |
| Clark County | Pend Oreille County |
| Columbia County | Pierce County |
| Cowlitz County | Port Townsend |
| Elwha Klallam Tribe | Skagit County |
| Forks | Snohomish County |
| Goldendale | Spokane County |
| Grays Harbor County | Thurston County |
| Grays Harbor Dike District No. 1 | Waitsburg |
| Green River Flood Control Zone District | Walla Walla County |
| Island County | Washougal |
| Jefferson County | Whatcom County Diking District No. 1 |
| King County | Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District |
| Klickitat County | Wilson Creek |
| Lewis County | Yakima County |
(Note: Some communities have multiple projects.)
Ecology is working with grant recipients to implement grants and begin projects.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
