Sen. Feinstein Recommends $23 Million for Newport Harbor Dredging
Lower Bay project designed to
improve navigability.
Published April 16, 2010
The Log
By Ambrosia Sarabia
NEWPORT BEACH — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has asked for $23 million in federal funding for the removal of 74 years worth of accumulated sediment from Newport Harbor (Lower Newport Bay). The recommendation supports the city of Newport Beach’s goal of completing a dredging project that will return the harbor to its original designed depth.
The recommendation piggybacks a request of $6 million submitted by Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (DGarden Grove) to the House Appropriations Committee last month, after Newport Beach City Councilwoman Leslie Daigle and City Manager Dave Kiff met with congressional representatives.
“The senator’s had a long life of meaningful public service,” Councilwoman Daigle said. “She wrote legislation to enable the restoration of the upper bay, and now supports bringing Newport Harbor back to its designed depth.”
Sen. Feinstein was instrumental in obtaining federal money for dredging Upper Newport Bay last year, when Congress approved $17.3 million in federal stimulus dollars to complete the project. Congress has already approved $1.6 million for hydro studies and engineering work to make the dredging project “shovel ready.”
Daigle and Kiff traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to meet with members of Congress and senators to request $6 million in federal appropriations for maintenance dredging of the lower bay. They also met with congressional representatives Ken Calvert (R-Corona), Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), John Campbell (RIrvine) and Sanchez, and with Sen. Barbara Boxer.
Congress is not expected to approve the appropriations until after the November elections.
If approved, the funding would pay for the multi-year project’s first phase — scheduled to begin in 2011. The $15 million project will excavate an estimated 1.2 million cubic yards of sediment from the lower bay, marking the first comprehensive dredging to be conducted since Newport Harbor was completed in 1936.
The second phase would begin in 2012, if federal funding is secured.
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