Congressman McCarthy's FY 2010 District Funding Requests

FY 2010 Requests in Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies:

• Cutting through red-tape to help lower families’ water bills: McCarthy requested inclusion of statutory language to make the unincorporated area of Los Osos, California, eligible for programs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (similar to how other larger communities have been deemed eligible in recent years).  Homeowners in the Los Osos community are under a California State Water Resources Control Board, due in part to Clean Water Act regulations, obligation to convert current individual septic tanks to a community sanitary sewer and wastewater treatment system to stop contamination of the Morro Bay National Estuary, protect the shallow portion of the Los Osos groundwater basin, prevent saltwater intrusion into deeper ground water levels, recharge groundwater supplies, and ensure clean and safe water for the residents of Los Osos.  As nearly 25% of the homeowners in Los Osos are over 60 years old and about 33% are on fixed incomes, by making Los Osos eligible for programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service, this will help defray the cost of this $165 million conversion project, which is a high priority of San Luis Obispo County.

FY 2010 Requests in Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies:

None.

FY 2010 Department of Defense:
 

• Cutting-edge defense technology investment: McCarthy requested $2.2 million for the Flow Path Analysis Tool (FPAT), to continue development of a state-of-the-art ramjet/scramjet analysis tool for military (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and NASA applications.  The recipient of this project would be Advatech Pacific, Incorporated, located at 2015 Park Avenue, Suite 8, Redlands, California 92373 and Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, located at 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, California, 93555.  FPAT is expected to save millions of dollars by evaluating feasibility, predicting performance, and eliminating non-viable or too costly design concepts without having to actually build them (or scale models of them) for testing.
• Protecting America’s defenders: McCarthy requested $6.75 million for the Navy Advanced Threat Simulator (NATS) to develop an advanced threat simulator to support development and testing of new electronic warfare systems that will operate against the latest threat surface-to-air missile systems currently being deployed in potentially hostile areas of the world.  The recipient of this project would be Electronic Warfare Associates, Inc., located at 400 West Reeves Street; Ridgecrest, California 93555 and Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, located at 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, California, 93555.  This project is expected to result in a more robust self-defense capability for our Naval aviators, upgrade China Lake’s testing and training ranges, and continue to support local jobs in Ridgecrest.
• Advancing America’s military technology: McCarthy requested $3.8 million for the Next Generation Electronic Warfare Simulator (NGEWS), to provide simulation support for the EA-18G’s advanced Electronics Surveillance Measure capability.  The recipient of this request would be AAI Corporation, located at 124 Industry Lane, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030.  The F/A-18 Advanced Weapons Lab at China Lake, California is expected to use this capability to more efficiently complete their mission of testing the EA-18G and save money by optimizing lab testing rather than flight testing.
• Improving space technology: McCarthy requested $4.5 million for Test Stand 2-A technical improvements to be used for technical improvements to test stand connections or interfaces at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate at Edwards Air Force Base, allowing testing of next generation launch technologies while lowering the cost of putting payloads into orbit.  The recipient of this request would be Air Force Research Laboratory, located at Propulsion Directorate, 5 Pollux Drive, Edwards, California, 93524.  This test stand is a national asset, and these modifications will help to ensure thorough testing of the next generation of re-usable launch vehicles that leverage advanced domestic propulsion technology.
• Naval defense research funding: McCarthy requested $3.5 million for the California Central Coast Research Partnership research to continue existing projects and undertake new projects in specific research focus areas in conjunction with Office of Naval Research priorities, including power & energy; operational environments; maritime domain awareness; information analysis and communication; Naval warrior performance and protection; survivability and self-defense; and platform mobility.  The recipient of this request would be California Polytechnic State University, located at 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407.  This project is expected to support research for the Department of Defense, while supporting Cal Poly’s science and engineering faculty and students.

FY 2010 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies:

• Supporting cutting-edge renewable and alternative energy development: McCarthy requested $1.6 million for California Polytechnic State University Center for Renewable Energy and Alternative Electric Transportation Technologies Equipment Acquisition Project, to fund equipment purchases and establish educational outreach programs for California Polytechnic State University’s (Cal Poly) Center for Renewable Energy and Alternative Electric Transportation Technologies (CREATT).  The recipient of this request would be California Polytechnic State University, located at 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.  This Center is expected to serve as an alternative energy test-bed to develop, demonstrate, and validate new alternative energy technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce emission sources, and help the United States achieve better energy efficiency and energy independence.
• Vital infrastructure repair for public safety: McCarthy requested $8 million for Dam Safety Assurance Studies for Isabella Dam, to fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue to do field work, studies and preliminary design work to determine the solution to restore Isabella Dam to its previous condition and capacity.  Three problems with the dam have been identified: seepage at the Auxiliary Dam, seismic activity that is greater than was previously believed, and spillway remedial work, to meet current standards. The recipient of this request would be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Protecting the environment: McCarthy requested $5 million for a Los Osos Wastewater Infrastructure Construction Project to finance the design and construction of a wastewater treatment plant in the community of Los Osos; authorized in sec. 219 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992.  The recipient of this request would be the County of San Luis Obispo, located at 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93408.  Homeowners in the Los Osos community are under a California State Water Resources Control Board obligation, due in part to Clean Water Act regulations, to convert from current individual septic tanks to a community sanitary sewer and wastewater treatment system to stop contamination of the Morro Bay National Estuary, protect the shallow portion of the Los Osos groundwater basin, prevent saltwater intrusion into deeper groundwater levels, recharge groundwater supplies, and ensure clean and safe water for the residents of Los Osos.
• Protecting the environment and conserving water: McCarthy requested $6 million for the North Valley Regional Water Infrastructure Project, which will provide additional water and wastewater pipelines in the City of Lancaster.  Located in a desert environment, the City is taking a variety of approaches to decrease water use, and this project is expected to increase the use of recycled water and reduce demand on the valuable potable water system.  The recipient of this request would be the City of Lancaster, located at 44933 Fern Avenue, Lancaster, California 93534.  This project is authorized in Section 5049 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2005.  

FY 2010 Requests in Financial Services and General Government:
 
None.

FY 2010 Requests in Homeland Security:

None.

FY 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies:

• Improved water infrastructure for military base community: McCarthy requested $400,000 for the Ridgecrest Wastewater Treatment Facility Infrastructure Project to help fund Phase I (planning, environmental studies, engineering design and construction monitoring, and legal and administrative costs) of the City of Ridgecrest’s new wastewater treatment plant.  The recipient of this request would be the City of Ridgecrest, located at 100 West California Avenue, Ridgecrest, California 93555.  Ridgecrest, located in northeast Kern County, serves as a support community to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake (NAWCWD).  The City receives and treats all of the base’s wastewater, which accounts for more than one third of the water treated at the existing facility, with additional personnel expected on the naval base in the future, the current wastewater treatment plant will reach and exceed its capacity requiring another treatment plant.  

FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies:

• Alleviating national nursing shortage: McCarthy requested $596,340 for California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) Nursing Department Acquisition and Facilities update Project, to fund purchases of new classroom equipment, technical resources, and medical equipment for California State University, Bakersfield’s (CSUB) nursing program.  The recipient of this request would be California State University, Bakersfield, 29 Romberg Nursing Education Center, located at 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, California  93311.  This funding is necessary to upgrade the technological and environmental level of CSUB’s nursing program so it is comparable to other nursing departments across California in order to meet the national and regional nursing shortage that is predicted to increase over the next decade, and which would negatively affect patient care. 
• Alleviating national nursing shortage: McCarthy requested $500,000 for the Cuesta College Department of Nursing and Allied Health San Luis Obispo and North County Equipment Acquisition Project to fund upgrades to existing Cuesta College nursing program training rooms and purchase new medical training equipment to create modern hospital room settings.  The recipient of this request would be San Luis Obispo County Community College District, P.O. Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, California  93403. Though the hospital setting remains the best laboratory for student learning, it is high-risk.  This funding is expected to provide nursing students with hands-on teaching in a low-risk environment, helping to ensure future nurses from Cuesta College have modern hospital simulation rooms and medical training equipment to benefit the care of future patients in the region.  

• Encouraging engagement in government: McCarthy requested $35 million to fund Education for Democracy Act programs. These national programs are designed to increase local students' understanding and appreciation for the constitutional democracy system of government, and provide them the knowledge base to be actively involved in local, state, and federal government and public policymaking. The recipient of this funding is the Center for Civic Education, which administers the Education for Democracy Act programs, located at 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, California 91302. This funding, authorized more than 15 years ago, would go to local schools to help students obtain a better understanding of America's Founding Documents, ensure students can effectively participate in state and local government, prevent school violence through positive engagement and group problem solving, and reinforce democratic values in new and emerging democracies around the world through a civic educator exchange program.

• Renewable energy research: McCarthy requested $510,720 for the Renewable Energy Regional Workforce Training Equipment Acquisition and Curriculum Institutionalization Project to fund part of Phase I of the Kern Community College District’s (KCCD) Renewable Energy Regional Workforce Training (RERWT) program.  The recipient of this request would be Kern Community College District, located at 2100 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, California  93301. The funds would be used to purchase equipment to train wind, solar, and other renewable energy technicians and engineers needed in the future as Kern County continues to grow and lead in renewable energy production in the future, as well as expand existing curriculum for the RERWT program.  RERWT program includes KCCD schools (Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso College, and Porterville College), as well as Taft College.

• Improved jobs training: McCarthy requested $800,000 for the Trades/Technology Complex Equipment Acquisition Project to fund purchases of equipment to train students in vocational education fields through Cuesta College’s Trades/Technology Complex.  The recipient of this request would be San Luis Obispo County Community College District, PO Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, California 93403.  This Complex is a vocational technical education facility that focuses on training students so that they are prepared for local and regional jobs in the fields of viticulture, small engine mechanics, welding, engineering, construction technology, and solar and other alterative energy training.

FY 2010 Requests in Legislative Branch:
 
None.

FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans:

• Improved emergency preparedness on base: McCarthy requested $14 million for the Edwards Air Force Base Flightline Fire Station to construct a new fire station along the flightline at Edwards Air Force Base, home of the Air Force’s Flight Test Center and Test Pilot School.  The recipient of this request would be Edwards Air Force Base, located at 1 South Rosamond Boulevard, Edwards, California 93524.  This fire station is the first responder to any problems on a very busy flightline with a wide variety of aircraft flying on any given day.

• New test and research infrastructure: McCarthy requested $7.29 million for the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) Shelters to construct four pre-engineered aircraft shelters at the Naval Integrated Weapons RDAT&E Center at China Lake for simultaneous operation of four unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) programs.  The recipient of this request would be Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, located at 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, California, 93555.  China Lake is experiencing significant demand to support unmanned operations, and this project will facilitate ample shelter for these programs.

FY 2010 Requests in State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies:

None.

FY 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:

• Investing in road safety: McCarthy requested $200,000 for the California State Route 119 Widening Project.  This project will fund completion of the environmental designs related to the widening of State Route 119 in Taft, California, between Cherry Avenue and Tupman Road.  The recipient of this request would be the Kern County Roads Department, located at 2700 M Street, Suite 400, Bakersfield, California  93301. These environmental designs are a requirement as part of the National Environmental Policy Act, and this funding will enable the Kern County Roads Department and Caltrans to complete these studies.  State Route 119 is not only the primary commuter road between the Cities of Taft and Bakersfield, but is one of the major transportation corridors in the Central Valley that provides access to Los Angeles, the coastal cities, and northern California.
• Investing in emergency preparedness and response capability: McCarthy requested $5 million for the Mojave Air and Space Port Crash Fire & Rescue with HAZMAT Facility Construction Project, this funding would be used to construct a Crash Fire & Rescue with HAZMAT Facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port.  The recipient of this request would be East Kern Airport District, located at 1432 Flightline Street, Mojave, California 93501.  Companies at the Mojave Air & Space Port regularly conduct experimental and other high-risk developmental tests of rocket propulsion systems and rocket-propelled vehicles, as well as flight test of aircraft.  Explosive, fire, and toxic material hazards are a normal part of such research and development, and growing commercial and government contract activity at Mojave requires an on-site or nearby Crash Fire & Rescue Facility.  This funding would produce more local jobs and needed emergency preparedness as the closest similar facility is in Bakersfield, which is two hours away.
• Improving public safety and air quality: McCarthy requested $1 million for the Seventh Standard Road Grade Separation Project to help fund construction of a six-lane overpass along Seventh Standard Road at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad crossing.  The recipient of this project would be the Kern County Roads Department, located at 2700 M Street, Suite 400, Bakersfield, California 93301.  Seventh Standard Road is located in the northern Bakersfield metropolitan area, and serves as a major goods carrier route and east/west corridor in the community.  This grade separation project will produce local jobs and reduce congestion and air pollution from idling vehicles as more than 50 high-speed trains cross Seventh Standard Road on the BNSF railroad tracks daily. 
• Improved road conditions for military base communities: McCarthy requested $1 million for West Ridgecrest Boulevard Road Improvements Project.  This project will fund major road improvements and widen a section of West Ridgecrest Boulevard located in Ridgecrest, California.  The recipient of this request would be the City of Ridgecrest, located at 100 West California Avenue, Ridgecrest, California  93555.  West Ridgecrest Boulevard is an arterial road in the City, located adjacent to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, and serves as a heavily-used access route to the base.