$29.3M-plus in federal grants allocated for post-storm repairs

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal has joined U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Jared Huffman in applauding the more than $29.3 million in federal grants for emergency highway and road repairs in California following the recent winter storms.

The weather resulted in widespread flooding, washed-out roads, mudslides, landslides and sinkholes.

The $29,375,000 in grant funding will help support the work of Caltrans, the National Park Service, National Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation to repair and restore highways and roadways to pre-disaster conditions.

On Jan. 11, the lawmakers authored a bipartisan letter with 38 California members of Congress to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt to request expedited support, funding and other assistance to Caltrans.

“Across the Central Coast, damage to our roads and highways have been one of the most dangerous outcomes of these recent storms — cutting off pathways for assistance and first responders, snarling economic activity, and making other repairs more difficult in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties,” said Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, in a news release. “I am grateful to the BidenHarris administration for acting quickly to approve our request for additional emergency transportation funds. I will continue to work with local transit agencies and Caltrans to ensure these funds are used to repair and restore the Central Coast’s roadways, which are so critical to all other recovery efforts.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

On Jan. 15, President Joe Biden granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of California following an effort by the entire California congressional delegation urging expedited action in order to secure federal support for counties, communities and families impacted by the winter storms. Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Santa Cruz counties have since been designated by the federal government for federal assistance.

Correction

booked in Santa Barbara County Jail on four counts of felony commercial burglary and one count of felony identity theft. Two other felony commercial burglary charges were referred to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for potential filing.

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— Katherine Zehnder

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