[env-trinity] State congressional members seek flood funds

[Josh Allen]

State congressional members seek flood funds


http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/13617104p-14459009c.html 


By David Whitney -- Bee Washington Bureau
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, September 24, 2005
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B1


WASHINGTON - California's two Democratic senators and a bipartisan group
of Northern California House members have come together behind a plan to
seek $92.6 million for levee-and flood-protection work around Sacramento
and the Delta.

In a letter circulated to other members of the California congressional
delegation Friday, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer joined Reps.
Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento; Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena; Dan Lungren,
R-Gold River; and Wally Herger, R-Chico, in appealing for all to
coalesce around the plan.

 "In consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers and Gov.
Schwarzenegger, we propose a fiscal year 2006 program that will provide
the Sacramento area with 100-year flood protection and prepare for
construction work on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levee system,
which have been identified by the governor as the highest priority needs
in the state," the six lawmakers said.

"This is very important because everyone is on the same page now,"
Matsui said. "The good thing is there's agreement on priorities. That's
not an easy thing to do."

But the letter may not be able to achieve a unified delegation.

Nearly $25 million of the money it seeks would go for continuing work to
add larger gates to Folsom Dam and increase its height by seven feet.

The gate work, pegged for $9.55 million in the letter, has been stalled
for two years, however, because construction cost projections came in
last spring at two or three times the original estimates.

As a consequence of the cost spike, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is
reevaluating the scope of the work. The escalating costs also have
emboldened some supporters of a dam at Auburn who say that would be a
safer and more effective alternative and now, perhaps, no more
expensive.

Conspicuously absent from the letter is Rep. John Doolittle,
R-Roseville, a key member of the House Appropriations Committee's energy
and water subcommittee whose responsibilities include the corps' budget.
Doolittle is the Auburn dam's leading champion. HIs spokeswoman Laura
Blackann said the re-emergence of interest in an Auburn dam is not the
reason the he did not sign the letter.

"The congressman has serious concerns about emergency spending,
particularly in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and now Hurricane Rita,"
she said.

Lungren also is among those who have said the high cost of the Folsom
work warrants taking another look at an Auburn dam. He said that his
signature is not meant to imply that he has given up on that project.

"Wherever we can, we have to find agreement on protecting our area from
disaster," Lungren said.

In their letter, the six lawmakers said that given the experience of New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, they believe a levee breach from a
major storm, earthquake or deterioration is a high probability.

"A major breach in these levees could imperil hundreds of thousands of
people and endanger most of the state's water supply," they said. "We
believe that the best course of action is to proceed expeditiously on
the projects that will provide the most protection to population centers
and infrastructures."

Other projects endorsed for immediate funding are:

* $16 million for American River levee strengthening.

* $10 million for flood protection on south Sacramento County streams.

* $20 million for Sacramento River bank protection.

* Nearly $12 million for studies and evaluations of Delta levees.

* $3.3 million for other Valley levee reconstruction.


About the writer: The Bee's David Whitney can be reached at (202)
383-0004 or dwhitney at mcclatchydc.com. 


 

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