Wrap up of day two "One Voice" trip

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Members of Tulare County’s One Voice delegation met with federal leaders several times on Wednesday to discuss the remediation of Lake Success Dam.

County Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau reports Supervisor Ishida, Supervisor Vander Poel, Supervisor Worthley and Supervisor Ennis, County staff, City of Porterville officials, Tule Irrigation District officials, staff with the offices of Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and Congressman Devin Nunes met with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The following notes describe each meeting:

Roger Cockrell, Professional Staff (Majority)
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water

- Cockrell explained the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget and how it impacts the Success Dam project.
- Funding for Success Dam was reduced from $8 million in fiscal year 2008/09 to a proposed $2.5 million in fiscal year 2010/11.
- Officials from Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Office lobbied for more funding for the Success Dam project. Senator Barbara Boxer’s staff and Congressman Devin Nunes’ staff joined them in this effort.

Taunja Berquam, Professional Staff (Majority)
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water

- Members of One Voice discussed Lake Success Project.
- Berquam indicated that County officials must continue to “keep the heat” on U.S. Army Corps of Engineering officials to move the project along.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineering meeting with Congressman Devin Nunes, U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein staffers

- Members of One Voice and key staff discuss Lake Success Project.
- Congressman and U.S. Senate staffs ask Army Corps of Engineers to fund Success Dam Project its full $10 million as soon as possible.
- Four outcomes emerge:
One: Develop a new schedule of events for the project. Project last updated in 2008-09.
Two: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hold public meeting in Tulare County with people impacted by Success Dam project.
Three: $10 million must be secured for the 2010-11 fiscal year budget for project.
Four: Look into water storage capacity study to see if lake can hold more water to accommodate additional rainfall.

Peter Gould, Legislative Assistant (Majority)
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

- Members of One Voice delegation discussed the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill.
- One Voice discussed securing money for Avenue 416 project through appropriations request.

Director Gil Kerlikowske
Travis Norvell, HIDTA Program
Tony Martinez, Associate Director & Intergovernmental/ Public Liaison
President's Office of National Drug Control Policy

- Additional marijuana eradication efforts were discussed.
- Tulare County Official pledged to work with Senator Dianne Feinstein to fully-fund future HIDTA efforts.

Tulare County Supervisor Allen Ishida described the meeting:

“We met with top officials from the President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy this afternoon, and it was a very positive discussion,” said Supervisor Allen Ishida.

Ishida said this was the first meeting members of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors have had with top officials from the National Office of Drug Control Policy under President Obama’s administration. In essence, an important part of this trip to Washington was to forge new relationships with the Obama Administration in order to continue building on the strong partnerships built between local and national law enforcement officials under former President Bush’s Administration.

“We told them Tulare County intends to work very hard with Senator Dianne Feinstein to persuade Congress to fully fund HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking) marijuana eradication efforts,” Supervisor Ishida said, noting that County officials want to continue to build on the drug eradication and drug cartel suppression efforts that Tulare County has accomplished in partnership with federal law enforcement officials over the span of recent years.