Planning Branch September 17, 1999

Dear Interested Person:

The Seattle District Corps of Engineers (Corps) was requested last year by Lewis County to resume work on the Centralia Flood Damage Reduction Project, which has previously authorized by Congress in 1986. In cooperation with Lewis County the Corps has resumed design studies to develop a General Reevaluation Report which will review reasonable alternatives to the authorized project, compare and evaluate them, and make a recommendation to Congress regarding the appropriate alternative to be constructed.

The primary project benefit area of interest are the cities of Centralia and Chehalis and the adjacent urban areas.

As part of this work the Seattle District has determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared. Enclosure 1 is a copy of the Notice of Intent (NOI). To prepare an EIS for the Centralia-Chehalis Flood Damage Reduction Project Study. The publication of the NOI on September 9, 1999 in the Federal Register starts the official scoping period.

The objective of this scoping period is to determine the range of studies and the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS. While comments are certainly welcome throughout our study, we would appreciate receiving any information or comments you may have concerning the environmental aspects of the study by October 15, 1999 to help us finish our initial scoping.

To facilitate public participation in providing comments, two scoping meetings will be held. On Tuesday, September 28, a meeting will be held at the W.F. West High School Commons (342 SW 16th, Chehalis). On Wednesday, September 29, a meeting will be held at the Rochester High School Commons (19800 Carper Road SW, Rochester). Both meetings will start at 7PM.

Enclosure 2 is a short fact sheet with the tentative meeting agenda and information on the project background, the EIS scoping process, and anticipated environmental studies. The agenda for each meeting will be the same. Corps and county staff and consulting personnel will make a short presentation on identified issues, potential alternatives, and anticipated EIS studies. Following the presentation and an opp2ortunity for public question and comment, Corps, county, and consultant personnel will be available to discuss questions and comments on an individual basis.

Scoping comments should be addressed to Ms. Kathleen Kunz, the project s environmental coordinator, at the address listed on the letterhead.

Questions regarding other aspecdts of the study can be addressed either to Ms. Kunz by mail, by telephone (206) 764-3708, or e-mail kathleen.s.kunz@usace.army.mil OR send online mail right now to: Kathleen Kunz or to Mr. Forest Brooks, the Corps Project Manager, by mail, by telephone (206) 764-3456, by e-mail forest.c.brooks@usace.army.mil OR send online mail right now to: Forest Brooks

Sincerely,

Mona King

Chief, Planning Branch

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