Back in the spring of 2021, as Congress was starting to put together its proposed budget for FY22, they announced that they were bringing back federal “earmarks” – a portion of the federal budget that is set aside for members of Congress to award to worthwhile projects or programs in their districts, without having to go through traditional competitive funding processes. The House calls these funds “Community Project Funding,” while the Senate calls them “Congressionally Designated Spending” – hence, the widely used nickname, “earmarks.”
Nevada County submitted four projects for funding consideration and, ultimately, three of them were successfully awarded a combined total of $6.6M in funding: the North San Juan Fire Suppression System ($1,050,000), Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone - Phase II ($750,000), and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Radio Infrastructure Improvements ($4,800,000).
The North San Juan Fire Suppression System is an economic development project that will bring fire suppression to the downtown core of North San Juan, allowing for future commercial development, which is currently curtailed due to water supply requirements on new construction. The Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone project is a shaded fuel break – one of CAL FIRE’s nine top priority projects for our county – that will build upon efforts to improve forest conditions within the wildland urban interface and modify fuel loads to create a defense zone near homes and along roads including essential egress and ingress routes from nearby communities. And, finally, the Sheriff’s Office’s radio infrastructure upgrades will enhance usability and effectiveness of radio communications, implement a Department of Justice mandate for encrypted communications, and allow for monitoring and securing operations for life, safety and sustainability and long-term maintainability.
These projects were successfully funded thanks to support from our congressional delegation, including Congressman LaMalfa, Senator Feinstein, and Senator Padilla, who recommended these projects receiving funding, and to County staff for navigating the application process.
