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Senate OK's more money to NCRA/NWP
Author: Mike Pechner
Date: 05-31-2007 - 11:43
Senate OKs Wiggins' NCRA funding reallocation bill
by Nathan Rushton, 5/30/2007
The state Senate voted 21-12 Tuesday to approve a bill by Sen. Pat Wiggins (D–Santa Rosa) to enable the North Coast Railroad Authority to reallocate $5.5 million toward environmental cleanup.
The funds were originally designated for repayment of a federal loan that has since been forgiven, according to Wiggins.
“The funds targeted in my bill were set aside for the NCRA to repay a federal loan, which was forgiven thanks to 2005 legislation by Rep. Mike Thompson (D–St. Helena),” Wiggins stated. “Because the federal loan was forgiven, SB 861 redirects the use of the funds for the NCRA to comply with a court-mandated environmental cleanup and to address emergency maintenance issues.”
Specifically, Wiggins’ Senate Bill 861 will allow the rail authority to complete the sub-surface cleanup of nine rail yards, as required by a 1999 court consent decree between the NCRA and the North Coast Regional Quality Control Board, the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
NCRA Executive Director Mitch Stogner is hoping the funds, which he said would be a “major boost” to the railroad’s funding stream, are eventually signed into law by the governor.
Stogner said Thursday that $4 million of the $5.5 million total would go to the completion of the environmental consent degree for cleanup of sites in Eureka, Scotia, South Fork, Fort Seward, Alder Point, Island Mountain, Dos Rios, Hopland and Willits.
The remaining $1.5 million would land in the NCRA’s discretionary funds, which Stogner said he hopes would be used to develop a memorandum of understanding with the city of Eureka to remove fire hazards such as brush identified by the city’s fire department along the NCRA’s railroad property.
“If we have some discretionary money, we definitely will do that,” Stogner said.
The NCRA is on the verge of the long-anticipated repair phase this summer for the 29 signal crossings along the stretch of railroad track from Lombard to Windsor.
Stogner said he hopes the NCRA’s board of directors can finalize the contracts for that work at its June 8 meeting in Healdsburg.
Two new directors will join the board for the first time at that meeting representing Marin County — Novato City Councilmembers Judy Arnold and Jim Leland — which brings the total number of directors to nine.
Stogner said Marin County, which is allowed two seats under the NCRA’s charter, has declined the seats until now.
John Woolley, Humboldt County Supervisor and an NCRA director, said he is pleased the Marin County members are joining, which he said rounds out the representatives from all four counties that the NCRA’s railroad passes through.
Because it is a complicated business restoring service to the railroad, Woolley said the extra input will strengthen the NCRA’s position.
Although he said he hadn’t met them, Woolley said he heard the Marin County representatives are supportive of the restoration of the railroad service.
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved
by Nathan Rushton, 5/30/2007
The state Senate voted 21-12 Tuesday to approve a bill by Sen. Pat Wiggins (D–Santa Rosa) to enable the North Coast Railroad Authority to reallocate $5.5 million toward environmental cleanup.
The funds were originally designated for repayment of a federal loan that has since been forgiven, according to Wiggins.
“The funds targeted in my bill were set aside for the NCRA to repay a federal loan, which was forgiven thanks to 2005 legislation by Rep. Mike Thompson (D–St. Helena),” Wiggins stated. “Because the federal loan was forgiven, SB 861 redirects the use of the funds for the NCRA to comply with a court-mandated environmental cleanup and to address emergency maintenance issues.”
Specifically, Wiggins’ Senate Bill 861 will allow the rail authority to complete the sub-surface cleanup of nine rail yards, as required by a 1999 court consent decree between the NCRA and the North Coast Regional Quality Control Board, the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
NCRA Executive Director Mitch Stogner is hoping the funds, which he said would be a “major boost” to the railroad’s funding stream, are eventually signed into law by the governor.
Stogner said Thursday that $4 million of the $5.5 million total would go to the completion of the environmental consent degree for cleanup of sites in Eureka, Scotia, South Fork, Fort Seward, Alder Point, Island Mountain, Dos Rios, Hopland and Willits.
The remaining $1.5 million would land in the NCRA’s discretionary funds, which Stogner said he hopes would be used to develop a memorandum of understanding with the city of Eureka to remove fire hazards such as brush identified by the city’s fire department along the NCRA’s railroad property.
“If we have some discretionary money, we definitely will do that,” Stogner said.
The NCRA is on the verge of the long-anticipated repair phase this summer for the 29 signal crossings along the stretch of railroad track from Lombard to Windsor.
Stogner said he hopes the NCRA’s board of directors can finalize the contracts for that work at its June 8 meeting in Healdsburg.
Two new directors will join the board for the first time at that meeting representing Marin County — Novato City Councilmembers Judy Arnold and Jim Leland — which brings the total number of directors to nine.
Stogner said Marin County, which is allowed two seats under the NCRA’s charter, has declined the seats until now.
John Woolley, Humboldt County Supervisor and an NCRA director, said he is pleased the Marin County members are joining, which he said rounds out the representatives from all four counties that the NCRA’s railroad passes through.
Because it is a complicated business restoring service to the railroad, Woolley said the extra input will strengthen the NCRA’s position.
Although he said he hadn’t met them, Woolley said he heard the Marin County representatives are supportive of the restoration of the railroad service.
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved
Senate OK's more money to NCRA/NWP