U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal this week visited Santa Maria Airport and acknowledged the more than $8 million in funding secured from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Central Coast projects.
The infrastructure act was signed into law in November.
The first investments from the law are part of the $9.7 billion already announced for the state’s transportation, climate, energy,and environmental projects.
“These funds are just the beginning of what is to come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Central Coast,” said Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, who visited the Santa Maria Airport on Monday.
“From improvements to Santa Maria’s commercial and tourism capacities through its airport to upgrades and reliance projects from Paso Robles to Ventura, the investments that our landmark legislation will deliver over the next half decade will create jobs and grow our local economies for years to come,” Rep. Carbajal said in a news release. “These projects come in addition to funds from our infrastructure law that will expand internet connectivity, fix dilapidated roads and bridges, reduce carbon emissions, and improve our public transit and clean water infrastructure up and down our coast.”
Santa Maria Airport is receiving $1.015 million through the Federal Aviation Administration to repair and upgrade taxi lanes at the airport, encouraging continued access to aviators and economic development for Santa Maria.
Funding for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects funded through the FAA on the Central Coast include:
— $3,723,976 for the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
— $1,015,735 for the Santa Maria Airport.
— $159,000 for the Santa Ynez Airport.
— $159,000 for the Lompoc Airport.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also utilizing Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to provide:
— $500,000 for resilience work on the Carpinteria shoreline.
— $16,000 for Ventura Harbor.
In addition, the National Park Service recently announced that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will be used to combat carbon emissions and pollution by plugging abandoned oil wells in Channel Islands National Park.
Rep. Carbajal voted for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021. California is projected to see at least $30 billion in investments from this measure, according to the congressman’s office.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
