Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after the Office of Management and Budget announced $50 million in funding will be awarded to the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency for completion of the Feather River West Levee project. In addition to funding, the project also received a “New Start” designation, which will allow SBFCA to complete the last five miles of the project largely on their own.
The original total cost for the Feather River West Levee project was estimated at $689 million – $255 million from the federal government and $434 million from the state. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed our local agency, the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency, to complete the project mostly on their own.
As a result, the project is set to be completed 6 years ahead of schedule for a total cost of only $376 million – nearly half the price. Despite the local government taking on a higher percentage of the total cost, they still saved $107 million, while the federal government saved $206 million.
LaMalfa said: “The Feather River West Levee Project is a perfect example of how effective our local agencies can be when given the opportunity. The Army Corps allowed the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency to take over, and the project is nearly 50% cheaper as a result. With 36 miles of the levee project completed using only local funds, I’m pleased to announce that $50 million in federal funding has been awarded to complete the last 5 miles.”
“This is a bipartisan achievement. I’ve worked with my colleague, Mr. Garamendi, to see this project through, and I personally met with OMB Director Mick Mulvaney to express the importance of a ‘new start’ designation, along with the great success of local funding and effort that lowered the cost for the federal government. Securing this funding was a competitive process over the last six years, and I’m very happy we now have the opportunity to improve flood protection on the Feather River.”
SBFCA’s Board Chairman Steve Lambert said “Over the past six years, Congressman LaMalfa has made it his mission to fight for greater flood protection along the Feather River. His efforts were ,instrumental in securing the necessary federal permits to initiate construction in 2013. Today’s announcement caps off those efforts by providing the federal cost share to complete the federal project. The process to secure these funds was highly competitive and the realization of these funds is a testament to Congressman LaMalfa’s effectiveness in Washington. Thank you Congressman for making the safety of our community a priority.”
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing Lassen County in California’s First Congressional District, along with Butte, Glenn, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
