Congress approves $3.5 million in funding for Ventura County projects
Tax dollars coming home

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved funding for more than $3.5 million for projects in Ventura County.

The requests were made by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (RThousand Oaks). The projects include the following.

•Route 118 Corridor Study, $250,000. Allows Caltrans to begin environmental studies for necessary improvements to the corridor of this highway between Moorpark and Ventura.

•Metrolink Ventura County Farm Crossings, $500,000. Improves the safety at rural crossing sites along Metrolink's Ventura County commuter rail line.

•Ventura County Family Justice Center, $164,500. Assists in the creation of a centralized Family Justice Center to serve victims of crime in Ventura County.

•Ventura County Sheriff's Department DNA Services, $188,000. Allow the Ventura County Sheriff's Regional Crime Lab to keep up with requests for DNA profiling and analysis, and reduce the backlog of cases.

•Ventura County Crisis Intervention Team Training Program, $195,000. Funding supports law enforcement officers and communications specialists specially trained to respond to mentally ill persons in crisis.

•Cal State Channel Islands, $146,000. Construction of a patient simulation laboratory for the new registered nurse licensure program and Bachelor of Science in nursing degree program.

•Calleguas Municipal Water District, $1.033 million. Implementation of a water recycling, reclamation and reuse project.

•Santa Clara Watershed Protection Plan, $246,000. Completion of a feasibility study for this plan.

•Matilija Dam Restoration Project, $799,000. Funding for engineering and design work for the dam removal project.