Merced County to receive millions in federal funds. What will the money go toward?
Four Merced County projects are getting a boost thanks to over $4 million in direct federal funding, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, announced in a Thursday release.
The injection of cash is part of the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill approved by Congress this week. The plan includes more than $69 million in direct funding for Central Valley and northern California projects requested by Feinstein.
“Fighting to ensure California gets its share of federal funds is a top priority for me,” Feinstein said in the release. “We were able to get this critical funding included in the bill for a number of project that address priorities in the region.”
Thirty-plus projects in counties across the Valley and northern California are slated to receive funds, including nearby San Joaquin, Fresno and Tulare counties.
Of the four public projects in Merced County, Gustine is set to see the biggest injection of federal monies. The city is getting $3 million to install a 1 million gallon water tank storage system and booster pump station to replace the current 75,000-gallon tank, the release said.
Gustine will receive another $950,000 to complete the Water Loop Line Project to build a safe water distribution system.
The west side of the county is also getting $500,000 for the Los Banos Creek Detention Dam. The federal funds will go toward studying whether an existing flood protection reservoir can be expanded.
The dam was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1966 to halt floodwater from Los Banos Creek to protect the San Luis Canal, the City of Los Banos and other nearby areas from floods, according to the Bureau.
Topping off the project list in Merced County is $310,000 for First Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center to fund a pilot program to provide up to 900 individuals with mental health services.
Other areas receiving money from the bill are: one project each in Calaveras, Del Norte and El Dorado counties; one in Inyo County; four in Merced County; three in Nevada County; two in Placer County; eight in Sacramento County; one in San Joaquin County; two in Solano County; one in Yolo County; and two in Yuba County.
