Smith Supports Effort to Protect Green River Valley; Strengthen Howard Hanson Dam

Press Release

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) was successful in ensuring that critical repairs to the Howard Hanson Dam move closer to completion. The funding, included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a set of interim repairs to the dam.

"My priority is to achieve a permanent fix to the Howard Hanson Dam, but until this can be achieved we must make every possible effort to protect the residents, homes, businesses, and the economy of the Green River Valley." said Congressman Adam Smith. "As we saw in January of 2009, the effects of flooding can be extremely damaging and I am committed to restoring the full capacity of the Howard Hanson Dam and protecting the Green River Valley. This funding is vital to that effort."

Engineers from the Army Corps continue to closely monitor the dam and have identified interim repairs that will allow the dam to store higher levels of water for short periods of time and protect the Green River Valley during severe rain events. The Fiscal Year 2010 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, which recently passed the House of Representatives, contained $44 million in emergency funding for these critical repairs to the Howard Hanson Dam. Smith worked diligently to ensure these resources were contained in the final version of the appropriations bill.

Tens of thousands of people are at risk if the Green River Valley were to flood. In addition to the threat to peoples' lives, the Green River Valley would suffer enormous negative economic impacts as it is home to the second largest industrial park on the West Coast, and is the fifth largest in the nation. Over 95,000 jobs in the area make up approximately 8 percent of all jobs in King County. This represents $107 million per day in total economic output -- 12 percent of Washington State's gross state product.

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