By Paul Alleva and Brian Mittge, The Chronicle, 5/14/2002
Lewis County and Chehalis leaders opened their wallets Monday, taking a $400,000 plunge into studies that could lead to flood control construction in the Twin Cities later this decade.
In all, Centralia, Chehalis and Lewis County could be on the hook for as much as $1.1 million to keep alive flood studies supporting an Army Corps of Engineers proposal to improve the Skookumchuck Dam and build protective dikes around the Twin Cities.
The Chehalis City Council voted Monday to approve two interlocal agreements among Chehalis, Centralia and Lewis County: one that requires Chehalis to pay a share of $650,000 to reimburse the county for money it has spent on the Chehalis River Flood Control Project, and one that requires the city to pay a share of $400,000 to keep the project alive until it can be funded.
If all attempts to find grant money fail, and the state does not refund money it has promised, each local entity would be responsible for paying $355,000.
Centralia will consider the interlocal agreements tonight at a 7 p.m. meeting in City Hall.
''It's important enough to this community to keep this project alive until we can get the appropriate funding,'' said Chehalis City Manager Dave Campbell.
A state budget crisis stripped away funding that would pay the county's flood consultant, Pacific International Engineering, to finalize key environmental studies.
Congress will decide by June 30 whether to include the Twin Cities flood control project in a list of upcoming projects. If it is approved, a completed Environmental Impact Statement would be due by the end of the year.
Only one member of the public spoke to the issue at the Lewis County commission meeting Monday morning in Chehalis. Former Pe Ell mayor John Penberth argued against spending local money for the flood control studies.
He said different branches of the Army Corps of Engineers and the governor's Salmon Recovery Board are in conflict over the use of dikes in the floodplain.
He read state documents saying salmon recovery can be aided by ''remov(ing) and relocat(ing) dikes, levees and other structures,'' and by ''prevent(ing) the placement of dikes, tide gates and other structures that may confine or restrict side channels and disconnect habitat in floodplains and estuaries.''
While the levees are key to one Army Corps proposal, the Centralia Flood Damage Reduction Project, they are an obstacle to another Corps initiative, the Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage Reduction and Environmental Restoration Project, Penberth said.
He urged concerned citizens to attend an open house next Tuesday at the Chehalis Middle School. The meeting features representatives from the Chehalis Basin Partnership, Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Department of Natural Resources.
The open house takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Free pizza and child care will be provided. For more information on the meeting, contact Lee Napier with Grays Harbor County at 1-800-230-1638.
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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.
Paul Alleva covers municipal government and public issues for The Chronicle. He may be reached by e-mail at palleva@chronline.com or by calling 807-8239.
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