FEDERAL APPROVAL: County has state approval already, hopes FEMA agrees
By Michele Vowell, The Chronicle, 9/10/96, The Chronicle
A group of East Lewis County homeowners who were inundated by floodwater in November 1995 may be relocated with help from state and federal grant money, and matching local funds.
GRANT DETAILSBy The Chronicle Lewis County is seeking federal grant money to raise homes in the Galvin and South Fords Prairie areas and to restore the channel capacity of the Chehalis and Skookumchuck rivers. Restoring channel capacity could include several possibilities, including dredging and scalping sand bars, said Bob Berg, director of the Lewis County Department of Public Services. The county will hold a public meeting to discuss the proposals at 7 p.m. Sept. 23, in the classatorium at Centralia High School, 813 Eshom Road. The meeting will be an opportunity for residents to hear about the proposals and offer comments. Lewis County is seeking the grants through the hazard mitigation grant program, which provides state and federal funds to reduce the risk of future damage following federal disasters. The Galvin and South Fords Prairie areas were hit hard by the February flood. |
A grant application to relocate between three and five homes around Silver Creek, near Randle, was approved at the state level and has been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for final review. The Lewis County Board of Commissioners reported on the grant process in a prepared statement released Monday.
The $200,000 hazard mitigation grant would help relocate families hit hard by winter flooding.
"If approved, the funds will be used to acquire the property from the property owners involved," said Bob Berg, director of the Lewis County Department of Public Services. "The property then would become publicly owned and any development of the property would remain in public ownership."
Future development of the property would be strictly regulated in accordance with the grant Berg added.
"Lewis County is fortunate to be in line to receive these grant funds to assist in the relocation of those folks in Randle whose property was damaged during the November flood event," said Commissioner Glenn Aldrich, whose district covers the East County area. "Although we have been told that the FEMA review process may take some time, setting the grant application past the state review process with a recommendation for funding makes us hopeful that FEMA will give final approval to the project."
The hazard mitigation grant program makes limited state and federal funds available in federal disaster areas. Lewis County's application was considered under the authority granted for the November 1995 flood.
'Me program is identical to the one being considered by the cities of Centralia and Chehalis as an option for dealing with home elevation or relocation in the wake of the 1990 and February 1996 floods.
The grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
If FEMA approves the grant for the Silver Creek area, $150,000 would come from the federal government, $25,000 from the state and $25,000 from local governments.
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