Every year, Congress appropriates funding for specific programs, agencies and other priorities.  This authority is granted under Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution, which states, "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by law."

The Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate are responsible for reviewing and approving funding initiatives submitted by Members of Congress.  For Fiscal Year 2010, Congressman Hunter put forward several funding initiatives that serve to directly benefit the 52^nd Congressional District, the State of California and our military. 

The submission of these initiatives to the House Appropriations Committee represents the first step toward securing federal funding, but it is not a guarantee that funding will be allocated.  Over the coming months, the Appropriations Committee will consider these requests and determine which initiatives are eligible for funding through the annual budget process.  The House and Senate ultimately vote on separate appropriation measures that include funding for specific issue areas.

The obligation of Congress to build the federal budget is a responsibility that Representative Hunter takes very seriously.  Through this process, critical funding is secured for initiatives that strengthen our national defense and enhance the safety and operability of America's men and women in uniform.  Some of these initiatives include funding for Unmanned Arial Vehicles to support our mission in Afghanistan and combat medical resources that save lives on the battlefield.  Funding is also secured for local roadway and infrastructure construction, water resources development, education and community safety programs. 

In anticipation of the Fiscal Year 2010 budget cycle, Congressman Hunter worked in conjunction with San Diego businesses, cities and military leadership, to identify some of our most immediate funding priorities.  Each of the funding initiatives put forward by Congressman Hunter are widely supported by community leaders or the military service branches. 

Congressman Hunter's initiatives for fiscal year 2010 are as follows:

Defense

Hunter Funding Initiative: Brownout Situational Awareness Sensor

Contractor Name and Address:

TREX Enterprises

10455 Pacific Center Court

San Diego, CA 92121

Summary: "Brownout" is a situation Army aviators experience in combat operations daily in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Created by helicopter rotor downwash, it continues to cause aircraft accidents and remains a high risk to flight safety.  Specifically, as aircraft approach the ground, a thick plume of brown desert dust, dirt and sand disturbed by high velocity winds from rotor systems engulf the aircraft, causing a complete loss of the pilot's visual reference to the ground.  The Brownout Situational Awareness Sensor (BSAS) is a cockpit display system capable of providing the aircrew visibility though the blowing sand and dust.

Completing development, flight testing and integration of the Brownout MMW Sensor will reduce aircraft accident risk and allow aircrew visibility through the full range of landing and take-off operations in otherwise extremely hazardous flight conditions.  This technology will greatly reduce the loss of aviator lives, loss of aircraft and reduce the amount of maintenance requirements resulting in damages from Brownout situations.  Brownout is among the biggest hazards to rotary-wing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, contributing to more than 71 U.S. helicopter accidents.  Providing this capability is critical to aircrew safety and combat readiness.

Amount: $3 million

Hunter Funding Initiative: HapMed Combat Medic Trainer

Contractor Name and Address:

Chi Systems, Inc.

12860 Danielson Court, Suite A

Poway, CA 92064

Summary: There is currently insufficient training provided to soldiers on the most crucial battlefield lifesaving situations.  Medics and soldiers, in many instances, lack the experience to act swiftly and effectively in combat casualty situation.  By combining instrumented manikin parts that support hands-on practice with computer based scenario training, HapMed provides medics and soldiers the ability to practice critical lifesaving tasks.  In addition to providing realistic training scenarios, HapMed is also portable, so soldiers can continue to train while they are deployed.  This system has received high praise in its ability to train soldiers for medical treatment on the battlefield.  According to a Science and Technology Manager for the Army, "New technologies such as HapMed are needed to provide medics with greater opportunities to develop and test their decision making and technical medical skills."

New Army recruits must receive training in Buddy Aid or as Combat Life Savers (CLS).  Currently, insufficient training is provided to help soldiers and medics acquire and maintain some of the crucial battlefield lifesaving skills such as tourniquet application, needle chest decompression, and emergency cricothyrotomy, addressing, respectively, the top three causes of preventable death on the battlefield.  In order to perform these lifesaving functions under battlefield conditions, military personnel must have the awareness and confidence to act swiftly and effectively.  

Amount: $1 million

Hunter Funding Initiative: Predator C

Contractor Name and Address:

General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

14115 Stowe Drive

Poway, CA 92064

Summary: The Predator C has been designed and developed as the next generation aircraft in the extremely successful Predator series Unmanned Aircraft System.  Predator C was designed in order to make the airplane more survivable in higher threat areas and to provide the U.S. Air Force with an armed reconnaissance capability that will be able to fly into many areas around the world undetected.

Predator C is slightly larger than Predator B and is capable of carrying 2000 pounds of the same mix of weapons as Predator B.  Predator C will provide the U.S. Air Force with additional covert capability, enhanced by much higher operational and transit speeds for quick response and quick repositioning for improved mission flexibility and survivability.  This system also provides variations in signature reduction technologies.

Amount: $26 million

Transportation/HUD

Hunter Funding Initiative: Improvements to State Route 52 East/West

Recipient and address:

San Diego Association of Governments

401 B Street, Suite 800

San Diego, CA  92101

Summary: This project seeks to add Managed Lanes and extend the freeway to greatly improve traffic flow on SR52 from I-15, east to SR67, including a freeway exchange at SR52 and SR67 and can allow for traffic flow to be reversed during peak periods.  This project has been identified as "high-priority" by local and state transportation agencies.

It will provide residents living in East County better access to employment in the western part of the region while also relieving congestion on existing freeways and local arterials.  For example, the completed project is expected to reduce traffic on Interstate 8 by as much as 20%

Amount: $2 million

Hunter Funding Initiative: Bradley Ave/SR-67 Interchange

Recipient and address:                

County of San Diego

5555 Overland Ave

San Diego, CA  92123

Summary: The Bradley Ave/SR-67 interchange experiences heavy congestion during the morning and afternoon commute, and currently operates at a failing level of service during peak traffic hours.  Project will provide congestion relief for the residential neighborhoods east of SR-67, the businesses west of SR-67 and regional commuters by widening 0.75 miles of Bradley Ave from two lanes to four, add lanes to the SR-67 on-ramps and off-ramps and replace the narrow existing 2-lane Bradley Avenue bridge over SR-67 with a 6-lane bridge.  New bike lanes and sidewalks will also be incorporated into this project on Bradley Ave.

Bradley Ave is a key part of San Diego's Regional Arterial System and is classified as a Major Road.  Improvements to this interchange will address local accessibility and regional mobility, all joint goals of County of San Diego, Caltrans, SANDAG, City of El Cajon and City of Santee, substantially alleviating congestion and improving traffic flow through the area.  This is particularly necessary during commute hours, but essential during disasters and evacuations which have occurred twice in the past five years.

Amount: $2 million

Hunter Funding Initiative: Shoal Creek Pedestrian Bridge

Recipient and address:

City of San Diego

202 C Street, 11th Floor

San Diego, CA  92101

Summary: The construction of a pedestrian bridge across the Ted Williams Parkway will help children safely cross this six-lane arterial roadway and get to Shoal Creek Elementary School.  The Parkway has average daily vehicle trips of 25,700, with the predominant speed being over 55 mph at the intersection where students have to cross.

An estimated 50% of the approximately 800 students attending Shoal Creek Elementary live in the residential neighborhoods across Ted Williams Parkway and must cross the roadway twice per day.  While several safety features have been added in recent years, the intersection remains hazardous, especially during the morning rush.  Children must often run in order to make the crossing before the light change and cars often ignore "no turn on red" signs.  The completion of this bridge will conclude an effort that has been ongoing over 10 years supported by the local community and elected officials.

Amount: $250,000

Hunter Funding Initiative: Boys & Girls Club Teen Center (West Park Fieldhouse)

Recipient and address:

Boys & Girls Club of East County Foundation, Inc.

8820 Tamberly Way

Santee, CA  92071

Summary: This project includes the rehabilitation of the 48-year old Boys & Girls Club building and conversion of the Wells Park Fieldhouse into a Boys & Girls Club teen center.  With the rehabilitation of both facilities, the number of El Cajon youth that can be served will increase from 230 to 400 per day.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of East County have provided a number of recreational, cultural and leadership programs that promote good behavior, active lifestyles and a positive alternative to the streets.  By converting the existing Clubhouse to a center for 6-10 year olds, and relocating the 11-18 year old population to the new Teen Center, the Boys & Girls Club will enhance learning environments for both populations resulting in improved academic achievement, citizenship, decreasing police contact and vastly improving health through childhood obesity and athletic programs.

Amount: $250,000

Energy and Water

Hunter Funding Initiative: San Diego Four-Reservoir Intertie Project

Recipient and address:                

City of San Diego

202 C Street, 11th Floor

San Diego, CA  92101

Summary: The City of San Diego is seeking to perform a feasibility study to examine connecting four existing reservoirs in San Diego County (San Vicente, El Capitan, Murray and Loveland) in an effort to study and improve water supply reliability and water yield throughout the region as well provide an added element of public safety to protect local water supplies.  Loveland currently only receives local runoff, El Capitan receives local runoff and imported water, but due to pipeline capacity limitations, the full capacity of the reservoir cannot be utilized.  Local rainfall in the watersheds to these reservoirs is inadequate to fill them and only occurs once every five to ten years.

The unused capacity of the four San Diego reservoirs totals an estimated 100,000 acre-feet a year.  Maximizing storage capacity would provide a significant water storage volume that can be put to beneficial use if imported water were piped to the reservoirs and efficiently operated.  Additionally, connectability between the reservoirs would allow for the isolation of contaminated water in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster while, at the same time, transport water from another reservoir to the affected area.

Amount: $250,000

Hunter Funding Initiative: Water Transmission Line-Alpine, CA

Recipient and address:

Padre Dam Municipal Water District

9300 Fanita Parkway

Santee, CA  92071

Summary: The Padre Dam Municipal Water District is seeking to install a water transmission main to serve East San Diego County, particularly the Alpine community.  Federal support will be utilized for engineering, design and environmental review by Army Corps of Engineers for the installation of this 16-inch main, approximately 8,000 feet in length, providing as much as 1.5 million gallons of water per day.  This increased amount of water will necessitate an expansion to the District's existing pumping and storage facilities.

Currently, Alpine and the surrounding community rely on ground water wells as the only source for water production.  This project will substantially reduce the capacity fee (connect to service fee) for San Diego County residents and serve as an alternative water source, mitigating reliance on ground water wells during drought periods, as well as help with fire protection efforts.

Amount: $500,000

Interior

Hunter Funding Initiative: Fire Safety and Fuels Reduction Program

Recipient and address:

County of San Diego

1600 Pacific Highway

San Diego, CA  92101

Summary: Wildfires in 2003 and 2007 burned over 761,000 acres in San Diego County.  Prior funding obtained through legislation, grants and matching funds was utilized to remove over 417,000 trees on approximately 3,350 parcels to reduce fuel for wildfires and was completed one year ahead of schedule.  Aggressive tree removal after the 2003 wildfire spared some communities in the 2007 wildfire.  For example, in the Palomar Mountain area, home to hundreds of residents, a youth camp and the world-famous Palomar Mountain Observatory, the FSFR program removed approximately 96,000 trees resulting in less of a need for suppression efforts in the area.  Despite this action, current estimates indicate that only 10% of the dead, dying and diseased trees have been removed from fire-prone areas in the region.  At least 10-15% more is needed to be removed to reach the minimum standards of a safe fuel load level.  This $5 million appropriation is part of a three-year, $45 million effort to reach a safe fuel load.

The project will reduce the size and frequency of wild land fires in San Diego County, reducing the impact on the federal government, which serves as the lead agency during fire emergencies.  Tree removal will be occurring on non-federal lands that lie within wild land urban interface areas.  This approach is consistent with previous effective strategies identified through local efforts focused on fuel treatment in the region, including the recommendations of the Forest Area Safety Taskforce, a coalition of 81 local, state, federal agencies, community organizations and private citizens.

Amount: $5 million

Hunter Funding Initiative: El Monte Valley Groundwater Recharge Project

Recipient and address:

Helix Water District

7811 University Ave

La Mesa, CA  91941

Summary: This is a groundwater recharge and habitat restoration effort led by the Helix Water District where it will secure highly treated wastewater from the Padre Dam Municipal Water District's Santee Water Recycling Facility, provide additional treatment to purify the wastewater, pump and pipe this water to surrounding basins and then release it into the San Diego Riverbed where it will be allowed to seep down to existing groundwater levels.  As the purified water is maintained in this location, it will receive additional natural treatment as it percolates through native materials.  Extraction wells will be installed at strategic locations for conveyance to a water treatment plant as a new source of water for all District users.

This project will help in the region's continued efforts to reduce the its dependence on imported water from the Colorado River and Northern California by annually producing 5,000 acre-feet of locally available drinking water and meeting 10-15% of the Helix Water District's raw water needs.  By raising the groundwater levels in El Monte Valley, revegetation of the riverbed is supported and a more natural habitat is created for recreation and wildlife.

Amount: $1 million

Commerce, Justice and Science

Hunter Initiative:  San Diego California Methamphetamine Strategy (CALMS)

Recipient and address:

California Department of Justice

1300 I St

Sacramento, CA 95814

Summary: While California is the nation's leader in meth production, meth continues to be imported from Mexico across the San Diego border.  Additionally, violent Mexican nationals are now setting up operations in California, including San Diego, due to the recent crackdown in Mexico.  As a result of a lack of resources, law enforcement is not discovering meth labs until they have already been deserted, leaving the County to cleanup.  Funding for this project will be used to target meth production and sales in the San Diego County region.  Funds will be used to purchase equipment used for investigation and seizure of meth labs, drug interdiction efforts, pay overtime to San Diego CALMS officers and train local law enforcement.  Local law enforcement and first responders will be trained to deal with meth production, clean up and sales.

Amount: $250,000

Hunter Initiative:  San Diego County Regional Gang Enforcement Collaborative

Recipient and address:

San Diego County Sheriff's Department

9621 Ridgehaven Court

San Diego, CA 92123

Summary: Incidence and severity of gang and drug crime in San Diego County is on the rise (502 cases in 2007 to 616 cases in 2008), especially with gangs that serve as the distribution and enforcement arms of international drug cartels, as well as those involved with weapon and human trafficking.  The 52nd District comprises between 5 to 9% of all gang crime activity countywide.  These numbers, however, do not actually reflect gang crimes because much of this activity goes unreported.  Additionally, San Diego is the largest port of entry from Mexico, where cross border operation among gangs is routine and from San Diego, contraband is distributed nationally.

The San Diego County Regional Gang Enforcement program will replicate the North County Gang Enforcement Collaborative (NCGEC), which focuses on cooperation and communication among street level officers from other law enforcement jurisdictions.  The NCGEC has successfully reduced violent crime, gangs and other activity and enterprises that result in violent crime and gang violence in the targeted region.  This program will be implemented in East County which will serve as a test site to see if this type of program will reduce other types of organized groups involved in criminal activity, e.g. outlaw motorcycle gangs, white supremacists, and skinheads.  From 2007 and 2008, there were 76 gang related prosecutions from the 52nd District.

Amount: $250,000

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