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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As you may have heard, Gov. Inslee has declared a drought emergency for the east side of the central Cascade Mountains, including Yakima, and two other regions in the state.
I want to thank the governor for declaring this emergency. We’re facing severe drought conditions in our region, and the quicker we can take action to confront this crisis, the more people we will be able to help.
The Washington State Department of Ecology has requested $9 million in drought relief from the Legislature. The money would pay for agricultural and fisheries projects, emergency water right permits, changes to existing water rights, and grant water right transfers. Ecology has been working with municipalities to review the 62 watersheds in Washington state, several of which are in the 13th District. Thirty-four of the state’s watersheds are projected to have less than 75 percent normal supply.
I look forward to working with the governor, as well as local, state and federal agencies in order to assist those most affected by this emergency.
If you have any questions or concerns for me, please give me a call at (360) 786-7932 or send me an email at tom.dent@leg.wa.gov.
Thank you for the privilege of serving you in the state House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
Tom Dent
