Chehalis Basin Board Voices Conditional Approval of DeBolt Funding Bill

The Chehalis Basin Board voted unanimously Wednesday to support a bill proposed by Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, to provide $700 million in funding for basin-wide projects over 14 years, provided it included on amendment — that the money be split equally between fish habitat and flood mitigation efforts. 

“I think we could support this bill if we get some language in it, that I don’t need the word guarantee, but that dictates that we split the $700 million as equally as we can with flooding and habitat restoration,” said Harry Pickernell, board member and chairman of the Chehalis Tribe. “That’s the only concern the Chehalis might have.”

Tyson Johnston, representing the Quinault Indian Nation, agreed. 

Board member J. Vander Stoep suggested supporting the bill with two amendments in an effort to address their concerns and others voiced at a special meeting of the board last Thursday, in which the group first discussed DeBolt’s bill.

First, he suggested an amendment to require six “yes” votes from Chehalis Basin Board members to approve any one project, ensuring multiple viewpoints would be considered. 

He also suggested an amendment to require up to $350 million to be available for fish and the same amount for flooding over the length of the seven bienniums. The amount spent each individual year or biennium wouldn’t have to be the same. 

“There could be years or biennium including the upcoming biennium where there’s probably more availability to do habitat restoration projects,” Vander Stoep said. “So I don’t think it would be wise to say every year they have to be exactly equal.”

The board voted unanimously to support the bill with those amendments. 

“I think it’s great they’re supporting it,” DeBolt said Thursday. “They’re the decision makers and we’re just the funding arm. I appreciate how hard they’ve worked to come up with a collaboration.”

DeBolt said the bill was still alive and moving through the legislative process.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Basin board member and Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund passed on the county’s support of the bill, as did Chehalis Mayor Dennis Dawes for his city.

“I’ve seen a lot of progress in the last 12 years since our last major flood,” he said. “I think it’s imperative that we support (this bill), and I understand, yes, $700 million over the next seven bieniums is a considerable amount of money, but I would put to you that if we do nothing, $700 million will be almost a drop in the bucket so to speak for the damage that could happen.” 

Ron Averill, who represents the City of Centralia on the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority, also spoke in favor of the bill on his city’s behalf. Averill began by reminding the board members that he has been on the flood authority since it formed in 2008. 

He said funding for large projects has always been a concern. 

“I would point out the $700 million we’re talking about is open,” he said. “And it is the responsibility of the (Office of the Chehalis Basin) to determine how that money will actually be expended.”

The initial bill — House Bill 1154 — introduced by the 20th District lawmaker authorized the sale of $480 million in bonds with proceeds to go to projects from the Office of the Chehalis River Basin, created by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2017, to pay for flood mitigation and habitat recovery. 

DeBolt has long proposed legislation to create funding for Chehalis River flood reduction programs. 

An analysis two years ago found that if no action is taken, damage from flooding could exceed $3.5 billion over the next 100 years.

DeBolt proposed a substitute version of the bill last week that increased the funding to $700 million over seven bienniums, or 14 years. 

The board of the Office of the Chehalis Basin would still need to ask for appropriations of the funding and be granted it by the Legislature. 

“It’s not a guarantee of funding … but rather more like a priority reservation,” said Andrea McNamara Doyle, director of the office, said during the Jan. 23 meeting. “The bill also specifies that the bond authorization would not expire if the full amount is not appropriated by the end of the seven bienna, so that’s a target, but it’s not a use-it-or-lose-it proposition.” 

The model for the legislation is a similar funding bill that provided money for projects in the Office of the Columbia River in Eastern Washington. The money could be used for any project done by the Office of the Chehalis Basin for flood damage reduction or aquatic species habitat.

The Chehalis River Basin is the second-largest in the state, with the Columbia River Basin being the largest.