Briefly in the news

Bryce Alderton

Surf City Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and lobbyists in Washington,

D.C. recently fought for, and won, $1.9 million in federal grant money

for Huntington Beach.

The grants will address the issues of urban runoff, flood control and

coastal erosion.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved two bills in the past two

weeks, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for $1 million, and the

Department of Veterans Affairs-Housing and Urban Development

Appropriations Bill for $900,000. President George W. Bush is expected to

sign both bills once the Senate passes legislation.

Huntington Beach plans to use the grant money for maintenance of flood

control facilities, coastal bluff restoration, upgrading and repairing a

sewer lift station and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the

city’s public works department to conduct aquatic restoration feasibility

studies in areas such as the Talbert Marsh and Central Park to look at

improving water quality, said City Engineer Dave Webb.

“The studies will show if it’s feasible to put in natural vegetative

areas to help with pollution, of how to improve water quality through

filtering,” Webb said.

Diverting water that runs down flood control channels into the

vegetative areas is a possibility, according to Webb.

The city has allotted $500,000 of the grant money for the studies.

City officials were excited about the new funding.

“It’s good news for Huntington Beach,” said Deputy City Administrator

Rich Barnard. “It shows what a city can do working with Congress, Senate,

lobbyists in both Washington and Sacramento to bring those dollars back.

It doesn’t happen by chance.”

Barnard emphasized the importance of maintaining the city’s sewer,

drainage and flood control systems.

“You don’t appreciate flood control until it rains a lot,” he said.

“It needs to be operational when you need it. These are all part of the

public safety network of the city.”

The city plans to use the $900,000 to upgrade and repair sewer lift

station D, at Warner and Los Patos avenues.

The sewer lift station would be built at a higher elevation to allow

the sewage to flow by gravity, said Webb.

“We’re about 1 1/2 years away from construction,” Webb said. The

$400,000 is earmarked for coastal bluff restoration and centers or

apartments and condominiums adjacent to Blufftop Park along Seapoint

Avenue, north of the Huntington Beach Pier, Barnard said.