How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Regional
- Details
- Written by: CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON’S OFFICE
The city of Cotati passed a resolution requesting that Congressman Thompson introduce this bill to honor Art’s life and legacy.
“Art Ibleto was the embodiment of the American Dream. Born in Italy, Art immigrated to Sonoma County after World War II where he met his wife, Vicki, and created a successful local restaurant and catering business,” said Thompson. “The Spaghetti Palace became an institutional landmark and local residents affectionately started to refer to him as the Pasta King. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes and his philanthropy knew no bounds. I was honored to know him and call him my friend — and it was my immense pleasure to make this tribute possible with my bill.”
The bill now heads to the Senate where it will be considered and then it will be sent to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
- Details
- Written by: Caltrans
Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, accounts for $302 million – more than half of the funding.
“This investment follows our ‘fix-it-first’ commitment to repair California’s aging infrastructure, while at the same time increasing transit and active transportation options,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “These projects will make our transportation system safer and more convenient for all users and create thousands of good paying jobs in the process.”
Projects approved this week include:
• Approximately $1.3 million toward pavement, guardrail, and retaining wall upgrades on U.S. 101 near Crescent City in Humboldt County.
• Approximately $11.7 million toward improvements at Pudding Creek Bridge No.10-0158 on Route 1 in Mendocino County.
• Approximately $1.1 million toward pavement, and guardrail upgrades on Route 1 from Philo Greenwood Road to north of Little Lake Road near Mendocino.
• Approximately $859,000 toward pavement and guardrail upgrades on Route 1 from north of Rockport Street to U.S. 101 near Leggett in Mendocino County.
• Approximately $4.1 million toward a multipurpose paved trail along Route 162 in Covelo in Mendocino County.
Caltrans also presented the CTC with the draft 2022 State Highway Operation and Protection Program, or SHOPP, at this week’s meeting.
Aimed at preserving the condition of the highway system, the draft 2022 SHOPP accounts for $17.3 billion in funding over a four-year period and includes projects for safety, restoration, road and bridge preservation, and other highway-related facilities.
The CTC will host a public hearing in February to receive comments on the draft SHOPP. All the comments will be considered in the final version that goes before the CTC for adoption at its March meeting.
All 2022 SHOPP projects are available on the Caltrans’ Ten-Year Project Book website.
SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.
For more information about transportation projects funded by SB 1, visit www.RebuildingCA.ca.gov.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Water Resources
OROVILLE, Calif. — The Department of Water Resources announced Tuesday that hydropower generation has resumed at the Hyatt Powerplant at Oroville Dam in Butte County.
The power plant was taken offline Aug. 5 due to historic low lake levels driven by the state’s ongoing severe drought conditions. Recent storms have boosted lake levels and provided colder water in the reservoir to allow operations to resume.
Currently, the powerplant is utilizing one generating unit to produce electricity and supply it to the state’s electrical grid managed by the California Independent System Operator. Outflows from the plant and generation will initially remain low due to reduced agricultural demands and improved delta salinity conditions. DWR anticipates an average outflow of about 900 cubic feet per second which will generate approximately 30 megawatts of power. As lake levels rise and demands increase, additional units will be brought back online.
“This is a significant milestone as California sees some relief from drought conditions,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Providing clean hydropower to the state energy grid allows DWR to assist in meeting the state’s clean energy goals.”
DWR completed major maintenance activities while the powerplant was offline to ensure the plant maintains its reliability and is available for water deliveries and power generation. DWR continues to manage Lake Oroville to balance storage needs with requirements for Delta outflows, water quality, and public health and safety requirements in an effort to conserve as much storage as possible in the event of another dry year.
To learn more about DWR’s power production operations, visit https://water.ca.gov/What-We-Do/Power.
- Details
- Written by: Office of Senator Mike McGuire
“The proposed toxic coal train is an environmental disaster in the making. The midwest coal would travel through the Sierras, across the Golden State through the heart of our thriving communities, ancient redwoods, and directly along the banks of the Eel and Russian rivers which are the main drinking water source for nearly one million residents,” McGuire said on Tuesday after the vote. “It is crucial we stop this dangerous proposal – it transcends politics, and I am grateful for the bipartisan support today.”
SB 307 will protect California by preventing all state funding from initiating improvements on the now defunct North Coast rail line north of the City of Willits.
Further, it bans state money from being spent on the buildout of any new potential bulk coal terminal facilities at the Port of Humboldt.
The bill passed in the Senate Transportation Committee with an 11-0 bipartisan vote.
The bill will now be sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee for approval.