Members Announce Funding for Local Water and Energy Projects

Plan for Guadalupe River Flood Protection among Flood Protection Projects Funded

Media Contact: Kyra Jennings, 202.225.3072, kyra.jennings@mail.house.gov

Reps. Zoe Lofgren (CA-16) and Mike Honda (CA-15) have secured almost $8 million for local flood control and water restoration projects in the House version of the FY07 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The bill recently passed the House of Representative by a vote of 404:20, and will now go to the Senate for consideration.

“These water and flood protection projects are critically important to keeping our area residents safe and their property secure,” said Rep. Lofgren. “While the funding provided in this appropriations bill is a first step, we have a long way to go to in funding water projects in the South Bay Area.”

“I am very proud that we were able to successfully secure these resources, which are needed to help protect our Silicon Valley families, homes and businesses from the continuing threat of severe flooding that has caused so much damage over the past several years,” said Rep. Honda. “I am hopeful that we can work with our Senators as the appropriations bill moves forward to make sure that we commit adequate funding to protect the San Francisco Bay shoreline as well.”

The funding granted to the San Jose area includes:

• ˆ Guadalupe River Flood Protection Plan: $6.7 million. This funding will allow construction of this project to continue, which will protect the commercial and residential interests in downtown San Jose and improve the quality of the Guadalupe River.
• ˆ San Jose Area Water Reclamation and Reuse Project: $495,000. This funding will help meet the need for recycled water in Silicon Valley and ensure the quality of wetlands in the South Bay.
• ˆ San Francisquito Creek Watershed Study: $225,000. This project examines possible flood protection in portions of the Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties including Palo Alto.
• ˆ Upper Penitencia Creek Flood Protection Plans: $319,000. The project will provide flood protection to over 4,000 homes in Santa Clara County in conjunction with the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
• ˆ Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project: $250,000. This funding will be used to continue the planning, design, and preconstruction of channel improvements and a diversion channel in Southern Santa Clara County that will protect the community from over $8 million in possible flood damage.

In addition to these local San Jose projects, Reps. Lofgren and Honda joined with their Bay Area colleagues to support funding for the California Bay Delta Restoration Program. This regional project received $40 million, which will help support the collaborative effort by more than twenty federal and state agencies to improve the health of the Bay-Delta watershed ecosystem.