Congressman John Garamendi, joined by Congressman Doug LaMalfa and lawmakers at every level of government, successfully campaigned for the project to be included in the Corps of Engineers 2014 Work Plan.
Up until this year, the project had failed to get funding because of Congress’s “no new start” policy, a flawed policy that prioritized old projects regardless of merit while restricting funds from new, lifesaving projects such as the J Levee.
Through active conversations with Appropriations Committee members and the support of California’s Senators, the January Omnibus bill, supported by Garamendi, lifted the policy and allowed the Corps to fund a limited number of new projects.
The Hamilton City J Levee was officially selected as one of the five new construction projects for this year and the community will finally be able to move forward with this vital project.
Following meetings with Garamendi and other regional leaders, the Army Corps of Engineers allocated $8.6 million for the J Levee, and in the proposed budget President Obama released yesterday, an additional $3.8 million is allocated.
The project is expected to cost a total of $52.4 million, of which $34.1 million would come from federal sources and $18.3 from state and local sources.
“ I’m glad I could help make this long-delayed project a reality for Hamilton City residents. This is exactly the type of worthy infrastructure project Congress should embrace ,” Garamendi said. “ The risk of flooding is high in Hamilton City, and the community has worked diligently to cover some of the costs .”
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Press Release, March 12, 2014