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Port of Los Angeles gets $23 million to deepen channels, while local transit hub gains $1 million.
By Kristin S. Agostoni
Daily Breeze
Some $27 million is earmarked for state and local projects in Congress’ 2005 spending bill, including a costly channel deepening plan for the Port of Los Angeles and transit initiatives for Redondo Beach and Torrance, U.S. Rep. Jane Harman said this week.
A final version of the $388 billion spending plan — which has been held up in the House because of a spat over language buried within the bill — is expected to reach the president’s desk early next month.
The disagreement revolves around a provision letting leaders of Congress’ appropriations committees examine income tax returns. Both parties favor killing the tax return provision before it becomes law, but Democrats on Wednesday blocked a House vote to do so until Dec. 6.
A major initiative in line for funding — to the tune of $23 million — is a deepening project that would accommodate larger container vessels sending shipments into the Port of Los Angeles.
A port official said the federal contribution was anticipated, but underscores the “economic vitality” of the shipping industry. The project, which is entering its third year, involves deepening the federal channels from a depth of 45 to 53 feet, said Stacey Jones, the port’s director of engineering development.
The total cost, to be borne by local and federal dollars, is estimated at $222 million, she said.
Another $1 million in the bill is earmarked for a mass transit hub in Redondo Beach, which recently took steps toward jump-starting a regional transportation service called Beach Cities Transit.
The proposed park-and-ride center is meant to be part of a “long-term, big-picture solution” encouraging the use of mass transportation, Redondo Beach City Councilman John Parsons said.
Torrance Transit would see a $136,000 share of a $1 million appropriation earmarked for the Municipal Transit Operators Coalition, which also includes the City of Commerce, Culver City, Gardena, Montebello, Norwalk and Santa Monica, said Torrance Transit Administration Manager Jim Mills.
The city plans to use the money to retrofit about 20 of its existing buses with a device that reduces the amount of pollution they spit out, he said.
Other local appropriations announced by Harman’s office include:
Ô $250,000 to expand sewer capacity in El Segundo’s Smoky Hollow area.
Ô $150,000 to the Los Angeles County Housing Authority to expand the Casa de la Esperanza health-care program to the Harbor Hills public housing plan in Lomita.
Ô $850,000 for the California Firefighters Association to help implement emergency preparedness programs in California public schools.
Ô $750,000 for the Sheriff’s Department to upgrade its Crime Laboratory Information Management System.
Ô $250,000 for continued restoration of the Ballona Creek ecosystem and another $175,000 for a plan to prevent contaminated sediments from flowing into Marina del Rey, the Los Angeles River Estuary, Ballona Creek and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Ô $72,750 through an economic development grant for the development of East Wilmington Park.
Ô $38,000 toward the Los Angeles County Regional Dredged Material Management Plan for resolving regional contaminated sediment problems.
Staff writers Doug Irving and Andrea Sudano and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
