With multiple public and private organizations putting forth money for the levee, the Lycoming County commissioners are heading to Washington D.C. to ask the federal government for $4.2 million.

Fran McJunkin, deputy director of the planning department, announced mid-June that Williamsport’s levee was on the Chief’s Report — a list kept by the Army Corp of Engineers of potential projects. This was an important first step, said McJunkin.

The final grant application, through the U.S. Economic Development Administration, is due July 26.

A large portion of the money would go to the I-wall portion of the levee, which runs alongside Lycoming Creek near Bowman Field.

A key component of securing the grant is showing state, local, county and private involvement in the project.

“What we’re attempting to do is get back down there in front of the senators and our congressmen and the White House staff to plead our case for taking care of our levy and show them that we have involvement,” said McKernan

As U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, enters his second month in office after the special election, the commissioners are making it a point to visit him, he said.

“We think it would be a nice project for him to help us with and an early success for him,” said McKernan. “We’ve been getting it ready. He just has to help us get it to the finish line.”

The commissioners also intend on meeting senators Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and Pat Toomey, R-Zionsville, as well as a representative from the EDA.

The county had previously submitted a pre-approval request to apply for the grant, for which they were immediately contacted.

“They came back to us and said, ‘You know, you guys look like you’ve got your act together,’ and we submitted it,” said McKernan.

The estimated cost of the entire levee project is between $13.6 and $16 million, according to officials.

“We just think we have our project perfect, everything is in order. It’s ready to go,” said McKernan. “Now we just need that little help to finish it off.”

The commissioners will reconvene their regularly scheduled meetings at 10 a.m. Thursday in Executive Plaza, 330 Pine St.