Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
WORLAND – Public comment is being taken for the Washakie County Annex of the draft for the Regional Hazardous Mitigation Plan.
The regional plan includes Washakie, Park, Hot Springs and Big Horn counties, and needs to be updated every five years. According to the plan, “This County Annex builds upon previous versions of the Washakie County Hazard Mitigation Plan completed in 2007 and 2011.”
The plan’s goal is to minimize the impacts of floods, dam failures, wildfires, hazardous materials incidents, and other hazards by assessing risks posed by natural and man-made hazards and identifying ways to reduce those risks.
It was last updated in 2011, and a complete copy of the draft for the Washakie County Annex can be found at http://www.washakiecounty.net/homeland-security with comment and input being directed at Washakie County Homeland Security Director Mike Orona at 307-347-3331 or [email protected]
Orona said he will then forward those comments to the coordinator of the plan or discuss them in further detail if need be.
“We are hoping that the public will be aware of the opportunity … and realize this plan is in progress to review the plan and give us feedback if they wish to,” Orona said.
In May, Washakie County hazards were identified and the mitigation projects were discussed at the first workshop for the Regional Hazardous Mitigation Plan was at the Worland Community Complex Center Extension office.
Attendees discussed and identified risks for Washakie County with Jeff Brislawn of Amec Foster Wheeler and the highest identified hazards were drought, flooding, wildfire and extreme cold. Hazardous were identified by geographic extent, severity, possibility of future occurrences and overall significance.
According to the plan, “The HMPC reviewed significant hazards from the 2011 Washakie County Hazard Mitigation Plan inclusion in the 2016 Regional hazard mitigation plan. The hazards list was compared with the hazards list found in the State of Wyoming’s hazard mitigation plan, updated in 2016. Upon further review, the HMPC added lightning and mine subsidence hazards to be more consistent with the State’s plan.”
Public comment will be taken from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7.