Governor Expedites $211 Million In Infrastructure Funds To Improve Levees In Northern California, Help Boost State’s Economy
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The Governor is taking immediate action to improve flood protection in California. This $211 million investment will help rebuild California's aging levee system and protect Californians from dangerous floods that could harm communities, agriculture and water supplies.
- Bond funds will be used to fund four critical flood protection projects. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is ready to fund four high priority early implementation projects with Proposition 1E funds. These are projects currently under construction or ready to go this year that are dependent on state funding. Projects include:
- Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Natomas Levee Improvement Program (Sacramento County) $49 million.
- Levee District No. 1 of Sutter County, Lower Feather River Setback Levee at Star Bend (Sutter County) $16.3 million.
- Reclamation District 2103 (Wheatland), Bear River North Levee Rehabilitation Project (Yuba County) $7.4 million.
- Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority, Feather River Setback Levee (Yuba County) $138.5 million.
- Today's action builds on the Governor's commitment to strengthening California's flood control system. The Governor:
- Sent a letter to President Bush today urging him to increase federal flood protection funding for California in his new budget and help streamline the process to approve projects.
- Signed legislation in October 2007 that will lead to the development of a comprehensive Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, reform the Reclamation Board to improve efficiency, require cities and counties to increase consideration of flood risks when making land use decisions and create a new standard in flood protection for urban development.
- Signed AB 140, the $4 billion levee repair and flood control bond element of the Strategic Growth Plan approved by voters in November 2006, and signed AB 142 that appropriated $500 million from the general fund to the Department of Water Resources for levee evaluation and repair.
- Declared a State of Emergency in February 2006 for California's levee system and ordered DWR to develop a plan to begin immediate repairs to prevent catastrophic flooding and loss of life. As a result, and with funding from AB 142 and Proposition 1E, 102 of the most vulnerable levee sites in Northern California have been repaired.
- The Governor will continue to push for action to fast track other flood control projects. Of the almost $5 billion in Proposition 1E and 84 funding passed by voters in 2006 for flood protection, more than $3 billion has not yet been allocated.
Rebuilding California is a key component of the Governor's overall economic development strategy for the state. The Governor is committed to boosting economic growth, enhancing our environment, improving service for citizens and increasing value for taxpayers by improving the pace of delivery, improving operation and maintenance, and lowering the cost and risk of California's infrastructure. In the last month, the Governor has:
- Committed to working with the legislature, labor and environmental leaders, builders, engineers and cabinet officials to find ways to overcome statutory and regulatory barriers to fast track the $29 billion in unallocated 2006 infrastructure bond funding.
- Joined Pennsylvania Governor Rendell and New York City Mayor Bloomberg to reinvigorate federal investment in the nation's infrastructure by creating the "Building America's Future" coalition.
- Proposed as part of his State of the State speech that California pursue the broad use of Performance Based Infrastructure (PBI), establish the Strategic Growth Council to promote economic, sustainable growth and development and meet the state's skilled workforce demands with 20,000 new engineers over the next decade.
- Called for additional investment in water, education and court infrastructure as part of California's Strategic Growth Plan.
