By Brian MIttge, chonline, 4/30/2002
A million dollars in promised and expected state funding for a key phase of flood control planning was eliminated by the state Transportation Commissioner earlier this month, giving local leaders just a few weeks to decide whether to infuse hundreds of thousands of local dollars into the effort.
The funding cut was so unexpected that county, city and regional leaders held a rare impromptu work session in the Lewis County Courthouse Monday evening to discuss the problem and how much it will cost to fix.
After a series of skeptical questions, consensus emerged that failing to provide emergency funds for the flood control project could doom the effort.
''Let it be known that Centralia and Chehalis are agreeing,'' said Chehalis Mayor Bob Spahr. ''This is probably as close as we've ever been to meaningful flood control.''
Details of how much the cities and county would have to pay were scanty. Estimates range from $133,000 to $350,000 each, with no guarantees that any or all of it would be repaid by the state.
Commitment from Centralia, Chehalis and Lewis County are all essential, Lewis County leaders say.
''From the county's perspective, we're not going to pick up the tab,'' said County Commission Chairman Richard Graham. ''We'll be a player, but we're equal players in this project.''
Last week U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., called Gov. Gary Locke's office, as well as Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald, to express the ''urgent'' need for state funding.
''This is not just a local issue ... it's a regional issue, because the entire north-south corridor, both rail and road, is affected by this,'' Baird told The Chronicle this morning. ''It's unwise to jeopardize this project when so much has been done so far and we're so close to being able to move forward with it.''
Time has become incredibly tight for the project, the latest in a series of Chehalis Valley flood control efforts first proposed more than 60 years ago.
If an environmental impact statement for the planned $70 million project is not finished by the end of June, the entire effort could be delayed by at least two years, local leaders worry.
Missing that deadline means there is no chance the project could be included in the so-called Water Resources Development Act of 2002, a blueprint for national projects.
Delays could even doom the project, according to Mike Daniels, executive director of community projects with the county's flood control consulting firm Pacific International Engineering.
''There's been a lot of momentum built. The Corps has been authorized for flood control here for decades. This is the first time it's come close to a real project,'' Daniels said.
In February, after years of computer modeling and study, the Army Corps of Engineers unveiled a $70 million project to increase the height of the Skookumchuck River Dam and build levees around the Twin Cities.
The plan, which would slightly increase high water levels near the Newaukum River and which doesn't deal with flooding near China Creek and Mellen Street, disappointed some city leaders.
They hope other preferred local alternatives will be included in the Environmental Impact Statement due in June, including excavation of part of the Chehalis River bank near Mellen Street, a new floodway through croplands west of Chehalis, and a higher level of Skookumchuck Dam improvements.
A river of difficulties remain even if funding is found to carry the project through the end of the year.
The project must still be chosen for this year's federal Water Resources Development Act. The bill is only revised every two years.
Baird, who sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that will consider the bill, is optimistic the Twin Cities project will be included, and that the Army Corps will choose to fund it. Further funding authorization might be needed from Congress, however.
State voters would also have to approve a November gas tax increase, which will release $22 million for the local flood control effort. If that ballot measure fails, decisions on funding would rest with the 2003 legislature.
Local leaders expect delays, but generally expressed support for the project.
''With any sixty, seventy, eighty million dollar project that occurs over a period of years and includes multiple jurisdictions and funding cycles, there are going to be a ton of places where a project can be halted,'' said Chehalis City Manager Dave Campbell. ''You need to go past all those hurdles to get to the finish line.''
Deciding to cover the unexpected funding gap would be a big hit to the Chehalis budget, he said, but he urged the five city councilors in attendance to consider the idea.
''This is the type of situation you have reserves and budgets for, given how important meaningful flood control is to this community,'' Campbell said.
Centralia leaders expressed support for keeping the flood control work alive.
''This project will never be done unless we show continued intent,'' said Centralia City Councilor Ted Shannon. ''We need to continue to demand answers and push forward. I don't think we have a real good reason to stop it now.''
Added fellow councilman Bill Moeller: ''We can spend the money now, unsure of what will happen, but if we don't spend the money we know what will happen.''
The world of environmental regulations continue to change, said Spahr, meaning delays would make it even harder to do work near the river in the future.
''The day of building infrastructure for flood control is rapidly bypassing us,'' Spahr said.
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Brian Mittge covers local government for The Chronicle. He may be reached by e-mail at bmittge@chronline.com, or by telephoning 807-8237.
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