Schiff Helps Secure Vital Funds for Clean Water and Other Environmental Efforts in Appropriations Bill Approved by Committee

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Adam Schiff helped secure more than $4.7 million in federal funding for local clean water and environmental restoration projects.  Rep. Schiff, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, requested the funds in the Fiscal Year 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, which passed the full committee this morning.

“With one of the largest urban populations in the nation, our region needs to do all it can to protect and ensure clean drinking water and protect our environment,” Schiff said.  “Environmental conservation and restoration goes hand in hand with ensuring clean water supplies.  The more we do today to protect and conserve our environment, the more we can avoid drinking water contamination in the future. These funds will not only help protect the public’s health but will also make our region a cleaner, more beautiful place to live.”

The San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund will receive $4,000,000 for local clean water projects.  The funds will be combined with other state and local funds and will be used to design, construct, and operate water projects to contain and treat contaminated groundwater in the San Gabriel Basin and prevent this contaminated water from reaching the Central Groundwater Basins. These basins serve as the primary source of drinking water for almost 3 million Los Angeles citizens.

The City of Los Angeles will receive $433,000 for an ongoing study of potential restoration efforts within the Los Angeles River Watercourse - Headworks Area.  The feasibility study is evaluating the potential for ecosystem and habitat restoration as part of the master plan for revitalizing the Los Angeles River.

The bill allocates $200,000 for the partnership between U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works to implement the Arroyo Seco Watershed Feasibility Study.  The focus of this study is to address flood and stream management, habitat, water resources, and ecosystem restoration issues within this vital Southern California watershed. This funding will allow the Corps to conduct technical assessments of ecosystem restoration and watershed management programs to identify projects which will improve the management and conditions of the watershed.

The Foothill Water Coalition will receive $100,000 for its Water Supply Reliability Program.  This funding will assist with a study to identify programs aimed at system improvements over the next 15 years. The goal of the project is to bring surplus seasonal water into local groundwater basins, replenish diminished supplies, utilize available groundwater storage and enhance the efficiency and reliability of regional water delivery systems. The study area spans the foothill and valley watersheds of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains from La Canada in the west, to Rancho Cucamonga in the east. The construction of these projects will allow the region to more efficiently control groundwater contaminant migration while better managing storage and distribution of groundwater supplies. 

Congressman Schiff is the co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security and a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.