This article from yesterday’s Bee is good news and appears to validate the tours that occurred recently for members of Congress to look at our flood-prone area, and the years of local Congressional leadership.
Strengthening the levees is vital, and should be followed by equally effective effort toward the building of a major new dam on the American River, and we anticipate the Congressional reassessment of the Auburn Dam due to be released in August.
Coupled with the stronger levees, a dam will provide the 500 year + protection our community, and all communities, need.
Here is an excerpt.
Senate panel adds funds for levees
By David Whitney -- Bee Washington Bureau Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, April 5, 2006
WASHINGTON - Bucking the decision of the House on emergency funding for Sacramento flood control, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved adding $22.3 million to accelerate levee improvement work this summer.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the committee's energy and water panel, said the additional money "is necessary to avoid what could be a disaster."
Last month the House Appropriations Committee, led by Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, declined to include emergency levee money in its version of the spending measure, which cleared the House on March 16.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said after the committee meeting that she was grateful Senate appropriators agreed to her request for the additional spending but she was uncertain whether it would be included in a final compromise bill that will have to be worked out later between the two chambers.
"I am hopeful Jerry (Lewis) will change his mind," Feinstein said.
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, hailed the Senate committee's action and said she believes it will be sustained in the House.
"This is very critical," she said. "People in the House have seen our levees, and the seriousness of the risk."
Feinstein said the Sacramento cause may be aided by the nearly constant downpour of rain and snow in the past month, even though the new money won't make any difference this year.
"We are going to have massive spring runoffs," Feinstein said.
"We have just got to start cracking on these levees."
