House Passes $20 Million for Central Coast ProjectsLegislation will create good-paying jobs, funds improvements to transportation systems and water infrastructure
Washington,
July 1, 2021
Washington, DC - Today, the House passed H.R. 3684, the Invest in America Act, with bipartisan support. Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) fought for, and secured, $20 million in direct funding for three local transportation projects. The $715 billion package also includes several measures designed to create jobs, improve quality of life for Central Coast residents, and tackle the climate crisis.
Rep. Carbajal discusses the Invest in America Act outside the U.S. Capitol. “The $20 million I helped secure will help ease traffic congestion and curb carbon emissions that pollute our air and contribute to climate change. In addition to these direct funds, several pieces of legislation I authored to protect public safety, support local infrastructure projects, and preserve transit options, are included in the bill,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The transportation sector is America’s biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. It is crucial that we make smart investments that revitalize our economy and modernize our transportation systems so this sector is part of the climate solution, not part of the problem. This bill kills two birds with one stone by putting people to work bringing our roads, bridges, buses, trains, and water infrastructure into the 21st century. That means good-paying jobs, clean air and water, and better transportation options for Central Coast residents.” "I applaud Representative Carbajal for his work to solve the persistent backlog of transportation infrastructure and public transit options for communities like Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast," said Santa Barbara County Association of Governments Executive Director, Marjie Kirn. "Carbajal's aggressive advocacy is just what we need to deliver Central Coast priorities like funding for the U.S. 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project, protecting transit partners’ access to resources, and recognizing the seriousness of strong Federal partnerships to build a climate resilient future." “This grant will bring the RTA and our partners at SLO Transit one step closer to electrifying our fleet and doing our part to mitigate climate change,” said Geoff Straw, Executive Director of San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority. “The RTA Board of Directors and the SLO City Council have already invested in recharging infrastructure that will allow each transit agency to recharge these new Battery-Electric Buses on day one. Both agencies have also adopted a zero-emission vehicle purchasing policy to guide the implementation of new technologies to meet California’s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) fleet rule requirements, which requires all transit agencies in the state to deploy 100% zero-emission buses by 2040.” "It takes a group of determined locally elected leaders to make this vision a reality. The late County Supervisor Shirley Bianchi was the original champion. Morro Bay Council Member Red Davis set the table by creating the connection to the Embarcadero over Morro Creek. And District 2 County Supervisor Bruce Gibson coordinated the land deal with Chevron Corp., the California Coastal Conservancy, and the Cayucos Land Conservancy,” said Peter Rodgers, Executive Director of San Luis Obispo Council of Governments. “Without the support of these leaders, the opportunity to safely connect our coastal communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos could not be realized. Congressman Salud Carbajal clearly sees the value of our leaders’ hard work and vision—and the residents and visitors of the San Luis Obispo Region will be forever grateful." “The City of San Luis Obispo, the operator of SLO Transit, is extremely thankful for Congressman Salud Carbajal’s support to secure these funds to further reduce our impacts on the environment, slow climate change, and service our community transit needs in the best way possible,” said Matt Horn, Public Works Director for the City of San Luis Obispo. The Invest in America Act funds improvements to our transportation systems and water infrastructure, putting two key pieces of President Biden’s infrastructure vision into legislative text. The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration. The Invest in America Act funds the following local projects:
More information on the Invest in America Act can be found here and below: Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th congressional district, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. ### |
