Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approved nearly $3 million in federal funding for Placer County. The funding includes $1,200,000 for law enforcement communications to continue implementing a countywide, federally compliant communications system that will effectively respond to public safety or emergency activities, including those that cross multi-jurisdictional boundaries.
The Committee also approved $1 million for the County’s Regional Wastewater Treatment and Water Reclamation Facility. Congress authorized the project in the 2003 reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act with anticipated federal funding of approximately $25 million. The new facility will replace older, inefficient treatment plants that do not meet the State’s increasingly stringent water quality standards. In addition to providing environmental benefits, the project will reduce future costs for wastewater treatment in the region. The regional facility will also provide water reclamation and reuse for agricultural purposes, as well as irrigation of community open space and parks.
‘Placer County has worked hard to achieve its fair share of federal dollars for worthy county projects,’ said Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt. ‘The County is at a critical juncture with the Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. It is a project that will benefit the entire community and meet the federal priorities of the Clean Water Act. Placer County appreciates the federal support this project has enjoyed over the past 10 years and we hope to have the continued support from Congress that this project deserves.’
The House Appropriations Committee also approved $500,000 for Placer County’s Biomass Utilization Pilot Project to support its efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfire and utilize the forest biomass material for potential local green energy production.
The County’s new Children’s Health Center/Emergency Shelter, currently under construction, was approved for $250,000 in federal funding. The new shelter will include housing and health care services for children who have been removed from their homes for protection or who have failed other placements. The facilities will also provide support for a variety of education, training, life skills, and intervention programs.
The $3 million in federal funding still needs to be approved by the full House, Conference Committee, and the President. Final action is not likely until the fall.
