WASHINGTON, DC--Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) has secured approval for nearly $7 million for transportation and other projects across Marin and Sonoma counties.

The funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Omnibus bill, which the Senate passed on Sunday.

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Project is set to receive the most funding--$2.5 million. The money will be used to continue preliminary engineering and environmental work for the project, which includes implementing passenger rail service for 70 miles from Cloverdale in Sonoma County to Larkspur in Marin County.

“I am delighted by the funding for SMART, which has enormous potential to alleviate the congestion faced by our community,” said Woolsey. “Light rail line is invaluable in creating a multi-modal transportation system in Sonoma and Marin counties.  Passenger rail, along with a bicycle and pedestrian corridor, will provide our community with a viable alternative to travel on Highway 101.”

Woolsey secured funding for two other transportation projects as well. The Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit will get nearly $2 million to complete work to improve safety and structural supports of the bridge. And nearby Fort Baker will receive $750,000 to improve alternative transportation options by upgrading the trail system and improving public facilities.

Woolsey also procured funding for two medical projects. The Petaluma Health Center is slated to get $500,000 to help renovate a facility to improve health care services it provides to the county’s underserved population. This comes one week after the Center was awarded nearly $9 million dollars in federal stimulus funds for the renovation and expansion project. Marin County will receive $200,000 to finance the federal share of a research project to investigate the high and increasing rate of breast cancer in the county.

Woolsey procured funding for two facilities in San Rafael as well. Center Point will receive $250,000 to provide safety net services for people transitioning form incarceration to community and family life, and Project Avary will get $125,000 to provide mental health assistance and training to children of incarcerated parents.

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito will receive $300,000 to help fund its efforts to rescue and treat northern and Guadalupe fur seals, Stellar sea lions, and Hawaiian monk seal pups—populations that are in sharp decline.

In addition to these projects in the 6th Congressional District, Woolsey also helped secure $80 million to help the National Marine Fisheries Service’s multi-state effort to restore in coastal California three species of salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Sonoma County Water Agency is playing a role in that effort.

Sonoma County also got a big boost last week in stimulus funds, receiving a nearly $2 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the Department of Energy.

The Omnibus bill heads next to the President’s office to be signed into law.