Schwarzenegger supports levee repair, wants fed money

Details here.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday joined Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, and other federal lawmakers in urging Congress to help California repair its aging system of levees.

Schwarzenegger, who is expected to announce today his bid for a full term as governor, wants an additional $90 million for levee repairs from a federal government that has a history of failing to show California the money...

[...century-old earthen levees need to be repaired...]

The money Schwarzenegger is asking for represents a down payment on a $2 billion repair bill -- what the state Department of Water Resources has estimated a complete overhaul would cost.

Schwarzenegger's letter outlines 10 critical repair projects, most of which are in the Sacramento Valley, to get the $90 million. Raising Folsom Dam would get the most cash, at $24 million.

A massive Department of Water Resources study mapping weaknesses in the Delta's levees would get $3 million.

State Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman said officials are hopeful they can convince Congress to include the money in a special flood-relief bill intended to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina...

Mmmm... smells like pork. While the money would be nice and is probably needed, it would probably be better not to encourage Katrina bills to be bloated with off-topic stuff.

California · Fri, 09/16/2005 - 09:46 · · Importance: 1