WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) Tuesday, applauds the passage of legislation that will help communities, like Santa Rosa, retain the flexible use of federal grants to maintain public transportation operations. The bill, H.R. 5157, was passed by the House of Representatives unanimously.

Current U.S. Code gives transit agencies serving urbanized areas of less than 200,000 the flexibility to use federal transit formula grant funds for operating expenses. In the 2000 Census, fifty-two urbanized communities that were less than 200,000 in population in the 1990 census are now above 200,000 residents. The Santa Rosa area is one the fifty-two urbanized communities that has passed this 200,000 resident threshold.

With the passage of H.R. 5157, these 52 communities, including the urban area of Santa Rosa, will not lose the flexible use of federal grants this fall when the fiscal year 2003 apportionments are released. The Santa Rosa urbanized area consists of the cities of Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati and some unincorporated areas of the County of Sonoma.

“Public transportation plays an important role in the lives of people living in and around Santa Rosa,” said Rep. Woolsey. “Passing H.R. 5157 ensures that Santa Rosa Transit commuters will be able to get to work, go to school and see the doctor.”

“I want to thank Rep. Woolsey for her continued support in the effort to provide a quality transit system in Santa Rosa,” said Robert Dunlavey, City of Santa Rosa Transit Director. “Federal funds account for 26% of our annual operating budget and it is vitally important to us for these funds to continue to be available.”

More than $100 million in federal funds have been secured by Rep. Woolsey to improve transportation in California’s 6th District. Over the past 10 years, Rep. Woolsey secured funds for the Marin Gap Closure, the Novato Narrows and other projects to improve the 101 freeway, to increase monies for public transportation, to retrofit the Golden Gate Bridge and to provide funds for transportation projects that use renewable fuels.

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