Wednesday May 25, 2005
Rep. Ellen Tauscher Supports Energy; Water Bill: Over $14.4 Million in Funds For Local East 
Bay Projects Included

Source: U.S. Representative Ellen Tauscher

"Projects like these, to modernize our ports, ease water and flood concerns, and provide stable water supplies are vital to our region. I am pleased that my colleagues recognized California's need for this funding and supported these significant East Bay efforts. I'm especially proud to report funds authorized within the federal-state CALFED partnership for the first time in a decade," said Rep. Tauscher.

Among the projects are:

* $5.132 million for annual Army Corps maintenance dredging of the Suisun Bay Channel to the authorized depth of 35 feet. This project is essential to the continued safe transport of crude oil and other bulk materials through the San Francisco Bay, along the Carquinez Strait, and into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

* $250,000 for the Corps of Engineers General Investigations to continue the study of Grayson/Murderer's Creeks in Pleasant Hill and Contra Costa County. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released preliminary updated flood control maps for areas throughout Contra Costa County, which show significant changes to the flood zones in the City of Pleasant Hill, with approximately 1800 properties added to the 100-year floodplain. The requested funding would allow the Corps to review pertinent information and do additional studies as necessary in order to recommend appropriate action to construct future drainage improvements in the Grayson and Murderers Creek watershed.

* $250,000 for the Pinole Shoal Management Study, which is intended to develop a Long Term Management Strategy for Delta levee rehabilitation on a large scale as well as dredging and beneficial reuse of dredged sediments. The project is a collaborative effort among regulatory and resource agencies, stakeholders, such as industry, and environmental groups to forge consensus on these critical issues.

* Two ongoing Corps dredging projects crucial to maintaining traffic flow, improving safety, and enhancing environmental protections of the energy transportation corridor from San Francisco Bay to Stockton, which hosts frequent oil tanker traffic:

First, Rep. Tauscher secured $3.32 million for much-needed maintenance dredging of San Pablo Bay/Pinole Shoals/Mare Island Strait, a major artery for bulk cargo and oil tankers through the San Francisco Bay area. Prior to the closing of Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the Navy provided the necessary annual dredging for this portion of the ship transportation corridor. However, the stretch has not been dredged since an emergency dredging in April 2001.

Second, the bill passed today includes $250,000 for the San Francisco to Stockton (JF Baldwin) Ship Channel Deepening and Avon Turning Basin Construction. This funding will complete the General Reevaluation Report (GRR) and construction of a turning basin at Avon as part of Phase III of the JF Baldwin Deepening Project. The funding will be used to study the salinity effects of deepening the Ship Channel in order to begin the next phase of the JF Baldwin Deepening Project. The ship turning basin at Avon provides several safety and environmental benefits to the Baldwin Shipping Channel, including emergency anchorage for vessels traveling seaward when the nearby railroad bridge fails to close.

* The legislation passed today contains funding for the California Bay Delta Restoration (CALFED) account, including the following two projects:

$3.2 million for the Los Vaqueros Expansion Study, which is designed to improve Bay Area drought supply and water quality. The study is also intended to contribute to protection and restoration of Delta fisheries.

$2 million for the Contra Costa Water District Alternative Intake Project, which will relocate one of CCWD's drinking water intakes in the central Delta to improve drinking water quality. The relocation will both offset water quality degradation caused by projects that increase pumping in the Delta and help meet CALFED Delta drinking water quality improvement goals. The project is a key water quality element of the "Delta Improvement Package" that also includes water supply and ecosystem elements. The project is in the planning phase and will be ready to proceed to design and construction in spring 2006. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

* In addition, Rep. Tauscher supported a regional request that successfully secured $48 million for the Port of Oakland's 50-foot dredging project to maintain the port's competitiveness and improve the Bay Area's economy.

The House passed the Energy and Water Appropriations bill last night, and the measure will then have to be considered by the Senate.

Contact:

Hayley Rumback  202/225-1880

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