Q: What is the Lower Green River Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan?
A: The Lower Green River is at risk of severe flooding. Floods are dangerous and destructive. They threaten our safety, block the movement of people and goods, harm the environment, and cause significant damage.
The King County Flood Control District (District) is considering developing a Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan to guide future investments to manage flood risk in the Lower Green River Valley.
Q: What is a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement?
A: When an agency determines that a project could have potentially negative effects on the natural or built environment, it is required by the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) to prepare a document called an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). An EIS describes the potential adverse impacts on the environment and plans to mitigate those impacts, as well as possible alternative projects and their impacts.
A Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) evaluates the potentially adverse impacts of a broad agency action, such as the development of a program or plan, rather than a project. The PEIS for the Lower Green River Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan provides information to decision-makers and the public about the plan’s potential environmental impacts and steps to mitigate them, as well as reasonable plan alternatives. The PEIS also describes potential benefits that could be provided along with managing floods.
The elements of the environment evaluated in the PEIS include (in alphabetical order):
Agriculture
Aquatic resources
Climate change
Cultural and historic resources
Cumulative impacts
Equity and social justice
Geology and geomorphology
Land and shoreline use
Public health and safety
Recreation and public access
Socioeconomics
Terrestrial and riparian resources
Transportation
Tribal treaty resources
Utilities and public services
Water resources
Wetlands
Q: How do I engage in the PEIS process?
A: Tribes, jurisdictions, agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public were encouraged to participate in the PEIS process at two key milestones defined by SEPA. During the scoping period, the District asked for public comment on types of environmental impacts to be considered as part of the PEIS. From March 20 to June 20, 2023, the District asked for comment the draft PEIS.
Q: How are comments utilized?
A: The District will respond to all comments in the final PEIS. A final PEIS could be issued by mid-2024 and would identify a preferred alternative. The Board could direct preparation of a Flood Hazard Management Plan after the final PEIS is issued.