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<h2><b><font size=5 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>State
congressional members seek flood funds<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<h2><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/13617104p-14459009c.html">http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/13617104p-14459009c.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<h4><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>By
David Whitney -- Bee <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Washington</st1:State></st1:place>
Bureau<br>
<i><span style='font-style:italic'>Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, September
24, 2005<br>
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B1</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:State w:st="on"><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>WASHINGTON</span></font></st1:State> - <st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State>'s two Democratic senators and a bipartisan
group of Northern California House members have come together behind a plan to
seek $92.6 million for levee-and flood-protection work around <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:place></st1:City> and the Delta.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In a
letter circulated to other members of the <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>
congressional delegation Friday, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer
joined Reps. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento; Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena; Dan
Lungren, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">R-Gold</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>; and Wally Herger, R-Chico, in
appealing for all to coalesce around the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1029"
src="cid:image001.gif@01C5C27C.5AE53070" class="OAS_adspace">"In
consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers and Gov. Schwarzenegger, we
propose a fiscal year 2006 program that will provide the Sacramento area with
100-year flood protection and prepare for construction work on the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levee system, which have been identified by the
governor as the highest priority needs in the state," the six lawmakers
said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"This
is very important because everyone is on the same page now," Matsui said.
"The good thing is there's agreement on priorities. That's not an easy
thing to do."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>But the
letter may not be able to achieve a unified delegation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Nearly
$25 million of the money it seeks would go for continuing work to add larger
gates to Folsom Dam and increase its height by seven feet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The gate
work, pegged for $9.55 million in the letter, has been stalled for two years,
however, because construction cost projections came in last spring at two or
three times the original estimates.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As a
consequence of the cost spike, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reevaluating
the scope of the work. The escalating costs also have emboldened some
supporters of a dam at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Auburn</st1:place></st1:City>
who say that would be a safer and more effective alternative and now, perhaps,
no more expensive.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Conspicuously
absent from the letter is Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, a key member of the
House Appropriations Committee's energy and water subcommittee whose
responsibilities include the corps' budget. Doolittle is the <st1:place w:st="on">Auburn</st1:place>
dam's leading champion. HIs spokeswoman Laura Blackann said the re-emergence of
interest in an <st1:place w:st="on">Auburn</st1:place> dam is not the reason
the he did not sign the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"The
congressman has serious concerns about emergency spending, particularly in the
wake of Hurricane Katrina and now Hurricane Rita," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Lungren
also is among those who have said the high cost of the Folsom work warrants
taking another look at an <st1:place w:st="on">Auburn</st1:place> dam. He said
that his signature is not meant to imply that he has given up on that project.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"Wherever
we can, we have to find agreement on protecting our area from disaster,"
Lungren said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In their
letter, the six lawmakers said that given the experience of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New Orleans</st1:place></st1:City> after Hurricane Katrina, they
believe a levee breach from a major storm, earthquake or deterioration is a
high probability.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"A
major breach in these levees could imperil hundreds of thousands of people and
endanger most of the state's water supply," they said. "We believe
that the best course of action is to proceed expeditiously on the projects that
will provide the most protection to population centers and infrastructures."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Other
projects endorsed for immediate funding are:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>* $16
million for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">American</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> levee
strengthening.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>* $10
million for flood protection on south <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
streams.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>* $20
million for Sacramento River bank protection.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>* Nearly
$12 million for studies and evaluations of Delta levees.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>* $3.3
million for other Valley levee reconstruction.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h4><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>About
the writer: </span></font></b><span style='font-weight:normal'>The Bee's David
Whitney can be reached at (202) 383-0004 or <a
href="mailto:dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com">dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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