Significant work has been done in recent years to prepare coastal communities for the threat of tsunamis, but Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said there's still a lot to do — and is hopeful more federal funding will help make it happen. "It's not if, it's when, and we are in that window; every 300-500 years there is an earthquake and major tsunami and we are in it right now and it could happen any day," Franz said. There are several agencies that work to promote tsunami preparedness. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been awarding funding for tsunami towers, including the recent announcement of a grant to build one in Westport. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe unveiled a tribal-led, FEMA-funded tower in 2022. But there are still many areas where people would have to travel far to get to higher ground. READ MORE: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/public-lands-commissioner-asks-more-tsunami-prep-funding-washington/281-cc9ba620-0157-4aa3-87b3-4e4885f1c622