Back Bay dredge money looks promising

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Money for two dredging projects in the city survived

a congressional subcommittee’s “mark up” on Thursday, nearly ensuring it

will be included in the appropriations bill heading to the House floor

next week.

Rep. Chris Cox, who represents Newport Beach, had requested about $6.3

million in federal money to help pay for projects to dredge Newport’s

Back Bay and Newport Harbor. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who represents Costa

Mesa, had also lobbied for the funding.

Almost two-thirds of that amount stayed in the House appropriations

bill for energy and water. Of the $1.8 million Cox requested for the Back

Bay, the subcommittee left $972,000. Also, $3 million was included for

dredging in Newport Harbor.

On Friday, Cox said the funding was a major step toward seeing these

projects come to fruition.

“This is a big victory, and I am very pleased,” Cox said. “These are

very important projects for the ecology of our area.”

The Army Corps of Engineers is handling the two projects, which have

been budgeted at $34 million for the Back Bay and $4.5 million for the

harbor.

After passing the subcommittee on energy and water development, the

bill is expected to go before the full House next week.

Over the years, sediment flowing down San Diego Creek and other

channels pours into Back Bay and the harbor. In the Back Bay, the thick

clay resting on the marsh bottom can act as a receptacle for nutrients,

pesticides, heavy metals and other harmful substances.

Dredging is also designed to restore habitat -- lost eel grass and

water that protects birds and submerged mud-dwelling creatures.

City leaders said they were elated by the funds, which is the first

federal money to be put toward the dredging itself. Other state money has

paid for the environmental review and design.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the environmental

analysis on June 26, 2001.

If the federal money stays in the budget that passes Congress for the

2003 fiscal year, which will begin in October, it would make the Back Bay

project eligible for additional funding in future budget years, Assistant

City Manager Dave Kiff said.

“To get both of them in is really tremendous,” Kiff said. “The door is

open.”

State and local money is expected to make up $13 million, with the

rest coming from Washington, D.C.

By passing this subcommittee, the funding also broke through a

reluctance among East Coast legislators to fund projects in California,

Rohrabacher’s press deputy said.

In April 2001, Rohrabacher hosted a tour of the Back Bay for Rep.

Peter Visclosky (D-Indiana), an influential member of the energy and

water subcommittee.

“A lot of the East Coast members think we have no real needs,” said

Aaron Lewis, Rohrabacher’s press deputy. “They think our problems are

just trouble in paradise.”