Federal dredging money in jeopardy

June Casagrande

The fine print of the president’s budget included an unpleasant

surprise for the city: More than $8 million for dredging Upper

Newport Bay that city officials had expected simply wasn’t there.

“All I can say is, wow,” Mayor Tod Ridgeway said of the budget,

released this week. “This is a serious concern for us.”

Since his first year in office, President Bush has made serious

cutbacks in funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, the department

that handles dredging and other civil engineering projects. But

previously approved projects have escaped his ax because he has

supported continued funding of projects already underway.

Newport Beach officials and Rep. Chris Cox last year worked

through the appropriations project to get initial funding for

dredging. They expected that, because the corps had begun funding the

project, it would continue to allocate funds for the next few years.

The city is counting on about $24.5 million from the federal

government to fund the $38-million project over the next several

years, with the difference coming from state bond funds. Now, it’s

unclear whether the money will be available for the work.

“It definitely came as a surprise to us,” Assistant City Manager

Dave Kiff said.

City officials said they would ask for Cox’s help in obtaining the

money, either through the budget process or through the

appropriations process. But they say they are dismayed that the

money’s not already allocated.

Cox was sick on Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

At the same time, cuts to water quality programs in the

president’s proposed budget are not likely to hit home: None of

millions of dollars in grants the city receives for water quality

comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which Bush has

slated for $606 million in cuts, mainly to its water quality

programs.

Because the federal agency’s grants are so small -- often between

$50,000 and $200,000 -- it’s better to invest the city’s efforts into

the bigger sums available through state bond funds, Kiff said.

Over a three-year period, the city has secured from Sacramento

about $15.6 million for water quality and habitat restoration

projects, including the $13.5 million needed for dredging. Most of

that money comes from state Propositions 12, 13, 40 and 50. Those

ballot measures set aside money for projects such as grants for

environmental improvements.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.