Columbia County will get an emergency operations center to handle disasters such as the flooding and landslide that closed Highway 30 in January and drove people from their homes, Congressman David Wu’s office announced Thursday.

The $500,000 building will serve as command center during major weather events and other disasters and will provide training to emergency responders throughout the year, Wu’s office said in a statement. It will be built in a partnership with Columbia River Fire & Rescue and Columbia County Emergency Management.

Funding for the center is included in the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, which the House of Representatives approved Thursday. The Senate is expected to approve the same version of the bill shortly, Wu’s office said.

“The natural disasters that have struck Columbia County in recent years have exposed a critical need for disaster mitigation and emergency response capabilities,” Wu said.

He said the center’s construction would also stimulate the local economy.