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-- <September 9,
2003> Congresswoman Bordallo Secures
$4 Million FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 9, 2003 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Bordallo today secured funding for Guam's key transportation initiatives and to improve the bridges over Hagåtña River to mitigate flooding. The funding, which is part of the Fiscal Year 2004 Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, includes $750,000 for a flood mitigation bridge improvement project over the Hagåtña River, $2.6 million to relocate Guam's Central Radar Approach Control (CERAP) and $570,687 in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants; $157,227 of the FTA grants is specifically directed to meeting the transportation needs of elderly persons and persons with disabilities. "This funding is the first concrete step in securing federal funds to address Guam's problems with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) compliance. Improving the Hagåtña River bridges and remapping the flood plain should help Guam stave off NFIP suspension," remarked Congresswoman Bordallo. "I am also pleased to support the continued work of increasing flight safety at the Guam International Airport to meet FAA standards." Noncompliance with NFIP requirements would prohibit Guam from receiving federal assistance by agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Freddie Mac and the Small Business Administration. By widening the bridges over the Hagåtña River, the river's flow capacity would be increased and the flooding potential would be reduced significantly. This reduction would be sufficient to make Guam compliant with FEMA's 100-year flood plan. ###
Contact: Neil Weare
in Washington, D.C., at (202) 225-1188 or Joaquin
Perez in Guam at (671) 477-4272. |
