By: Libi Uremovic | Original Article at patch.com
From: Kelsey Gormley
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 3:16 PM
To: Alan Kapanicas
Subject: Federal Appropriations Requests-2015
Importance: High
Good afternoon Alan,
I would like to present you with four proposed projects for Federal funding that staff has identified. The project descriptions, cost estimates, and applicable Federal grant funding opportunities are included below. In addition to these proposed projects, I would like to ask the City Council if there are any additional projects that they would like to consider for inclusion in the annual appropriations process. Given the Congressional schedule, we generally like to present projects earlier in the year, therefore, we would need to receive any feedback by January 30th at the latest. This will allow staff enough time to put the informational packets together, which we present to our Congressional representatives in late February.
Thank you,
Priority #1: Potrero Interchange
Total Project Cost (Both Phases): $57, 000,000.00 •
Estimated Completion Date:
Phase 1-2016;
Phase 2-2020
Total Federal Funding Received: $13,588,154.00
Local Match Share: $12,000,000.00
Project Summary:
The City of Beaumont has taken the lead on the construction and design of a new interchange on State Route 60, approximately 1 mile west of the Interstate 10/State Route 60 Interchange. The new interchange would upgrade a two-mile segment of the Federal Highway System to full freeway status and address ongoing public safety issues on this stretch of State Route 60, which tally 391 accidents; 8 fatalities, and over 250 injuries since 2001. Due to the significant highways safety improvements included in this project, the City believes this project would be a successful candidate for funding under the California Department of Transportation’sHighway Safety Improvement Program, funded under the Federal Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) authorization program.
Request under FY 2015-$900,000.00
The project will provide freeway access to over 2000 acres of land zoned for commercial/ industrial development, potentially brining thousands of new jobs to the Inland Empire, which currently has an unemployment rate of 8.6%. The interchange is located near two major gods movement corridors, SR-60 and I-10, both of which carry significant truck traffic emanating from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Due to the numerous economic, safety, environmental, and regional transportation benefits, we believe that the Potrero Interchange is an excellent candidate for funding under the TIGER VII grant program. The City of Beaumont will be working closely with Riverside County Transportation Commission to secure this funding.
Request under FY 2015-$2,000,000.00
Priority #2: Waste Water Treatment Plant Desalination and Expansion Project
Total Project Cost: $60,000,000.00 •
Local Match Share: $700,000.00 annually
Project Summary:
The City of Beaumont is in the process of adding a Desalination and Brine Disposal facility, as well as doubling the size of the current waste water treatment facility that services the City. The current plant is a 4MGD facility, with a plan to expand to an 8MGD facility. As part of the expansion process, the City will be working very closely with our local utility, Southern California Edison, in order to insure that any large equipment (blowers, centrifuges, etc.) meets the highest standards for energy efficiency. The City of Beaumont understands the important nexus between energy efficiency and the movement of waste water. The expansion is a phased process in which the City will budget annually for an additional phase to be completed. The City of Beaumont will be applying for funding to replace the high energy consumption equipment through the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant Program as well as the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse projects authorized under the WaterSMART Grants offered through the Department of the Interior– Bureau of Reclamation.
Total Federal Funding Requested:
$2,500,000.00 (Water and Energy Efficiency Grants)
$1,000,000.00 (Title XVI WaterSMART Grants-Funding Group II; Phased Projects)
$3,500,000.00
Beaumont has always been considered a “leader” in the field of water treatment, we were among the first waste water treatment facilities in the United States to use UV disinfection in our tertiary treatment process. The City of Beaumont also has a partnership with UC Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT). This partnership with an academic institution provides technical assistance, research facilities, and qualified academic professionals with an interest in the field of sustainability. Therefore, the City is also interested in applying for funds through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Desalination and Water Purification Research grants (DWPR).
Priority #3: Renewable Energy-Waste Water Treatment Plant and City Campus
Total Project Cost: $5,918,992 • Local Match Share: $250,000.00
Total Federal Funding Requested: None Identified.
Project Summary:
The City of Beaumont has invested in a feasibility study related to the use of renewable energy, most notably, solar photovoltaic systems and fuel cells. The City has identified two possible solar projects, a ground-mount solar array located at the City’s waste water treatment facility and a solar-covered parking structure/ roof mount solar array at the City Campus facility. Both projects are estimated to generate 1,527,200 kWh of renewable energy, which equates to an annual savings of $255,933 in utility costs The project proposes to install up to 1 megawatt of solar at the waste water treatment plant and . In addition to solar energy, the City has also examined the possibility of using fuel cell technology to provide power to the City Campus facility. This project is estimated to result in an annual savings of approximately 849,895 kWh and $42,463 in utility costs. The project proposes to install a 100 kW fuel cell which will provide power to the Civic Center, Police Department, and Transit offices. The City’s annual utility budget exceeds $1,000,000 and due to Southern California Edison’s recently approved rate increases, the City expects this amount to increase by 9% in the coming fiscal year. These projects would allow the City to become “energy independent” and free the taxpayers from bearing the burden of ever-increasing utility costs at essential City facilities.
Priority #4: Oak Valley Parkway Expansion of On-and Off-Ramps at Interstate 10
Total Project Cost: $25,425,000.00 • Local Match Share: $ TBD
Total Federal Funding Requested: TBD
Project Summary:
The City of Beaumont, in cooperation with Caltrans, proposes to reconstruct and widen the interchange at Oak Valley Parkway and Interstate 10 from two (2) lanes to six (6) lanes from approximately 500 feet west of Desert Lawn Drive to Golf Club Drive. The east bound ramps will be widened from one (1) to two (2) lanes and both the east bound and west bound exits will be widened from one (1)to four (4) lanes. The west bound entry will be widened from one (1) to three (3) lanes and a new east bound/ west bound entry loop, including two 2-lane ramps with HOV preferential lanes will be constructed. The project will also include an extended acceleration/ deceleration lane. The project would alleviate traffic congestion and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from idling vehicles. In addition, the project is a crucial piece of the Circulation Element of the City’s General Plan. It facilitates growth in areas zoned for additional housing as well as commercial development. The project has been approved by the Riverside County Transportation Commission and is listed on the Southern California Association of Governments approved 2015 Federal Transportation Infrastructure Projects (FTIP) document.