House approves $15 million in federal money for Southern Arizona
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords announced today that the House has approved $14 million for an essential flood control project in Tucson and $1 million for cutting-edge solar energy research at the University of Arizona.
“Today’s vote by the House of Representatives is a significant step in bringing crucial federal funding to these very different but very important projects,” the Tucson lawmaker said.
The flood control funds will be used for the Tucson Drainage Area, commonly called Arroyo Chico. This is a major urban flood control project that extends through central and downtown Tucson, and was authorized for construction by the Water Resources Development Act of 1999. The funds will help protect Tucson’s downtown and Interstate-10.
Giffords was joined by U.S. Reps. Raul Grijalva of Tucson and Ed Pastor of Phoenix in requesting funding for the project, which involves the city of Tucson, Pima County, the Tucson Unified School District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Arroyo Chico drains across more than 11 miles in the densely populated heart of Tucson, from Alvernon Way to the Santa Cruz River.
“These federal monies will help provide much needed improvements to a major drainage basin that passes through many of Tucson’s oldest and most densely populated neighborhoods,” said Tucson City Councilmember Nina Trasoff. “Residents of those neighborhoods are grateful for this support from our congressional delegation.”
The solar energy research funds will be used to build and test new solar array technology at the university, where the acclaimed Mirror Lab has pioneered a new approach to photovoltaic energy. By collecting sunlight in sheets of glass formed into lens arrays, the Lab aims to overcome the primary difficulty in harvesting free sunlight energy: the construction and operation of a large area of solar collectors.
“Harnessing the power of the sun is imperative for our nation as we seek to combat global climate change and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Giffords, a member of Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Science and Technology committees. “It is a tremendous source of pride for me, a third-generation Arizonan, that advanced solar energy research is taking place in my backyard.”
Dr. Roger Angel, the director of the Mirror Lab, and Dr. Leslie P. Tolbert, the university’s vice president for research, welcomed today’s House vote. “I am absolutely delighted with this appropriation and Congresswoman Giffords’ work in promoting solar energy,” Angel said. “We are working as hard as we can at the Mirror Lab to help make solar energy cost effective. I have a 4-year old granddaughter and I want to leave this planet in good shape for her.”
Said Tolbert, “If any place in the country should increase its reliance on solar energy quickly, it is sunny Southern Arizona, and we have the scientists, engineers, and policy makers to make it happen.”
The text of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 can be found online at, http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR2641:/. Funding in this bill is part of a fiscally responsible budget that is balanced and does not raise taxes. It is fully compliant with the new PayGo regulations passed earlier this year that require offsets for any new spending.
A complete list of Giffords’ appropriations requests can be found on the congresswoman’s website, http://giffords.house.gov/.