LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Members of the Washington state congressional delegation have asked the federal government to monitor the Cowlitz River to protect communities from flooding.
The Longview Daily News reports Republican U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler and Democratic U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray sent a letter to federal officials Nov. 8.
The letter to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and the Army Corps of Engineers urges officials to prioritize 2020 funding to monitor volcanic silt buildup in the river.
The sediment dates to the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
The letter says the representatives are concerned area communities are fulfilling financial obligations promised by the Corps and authorized by Congress.
Officials say federal law mandates the Corps maintain flood protection along the lower Cowlitz River.
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Information from: The Daily News, http://www.tdn.com
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