Government officials had one question in mind Tuesday as they salivated over the $789 billion federal stimulus package President Barack Obama signed into law:
What is in it for me?
“That seems to be the angle everyone is taking right now,” Matt McAlvanah, press secretary for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Freeland, said Tuesday.
Bob McChesney, Port of Port Angeles executive director, suggested the package seems like a lot of money until it becomes clear how many people are seated at the table.
“As large as the stimulus package is, there are a lot of demands for that funding for a lot of projects throughout the nation, so how actually it gets allocated is the political dynamic that still needs to play itself out,” McChesney said.
“But anything that helps the economic situation is considered within our mission and should be looked upon favorably.”
Government officials submitted wish lists to the state and federal agencies that will administer the funds and “will make the decisions” on how it is spent, McAlvanah said, not knowing when that might be.
Washington state will receive $6.7 billion, of which $500 million will go into improvement projects for roads, highways and bridges.
Local governments submitted with lists to the governor’s office, state agencies and federal agencies that will administer the funds.
Clallam County will receive $1.6 million in Surface Transportation Project funding for commercially vital, heavier-trafficked roads, but there’s no word on other funding, Clallam County Administrator Jim Jones said.
“I don’t have a bit of word on the process for any of the other stimulus categories,” Jones said Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s a little early. This thing got signed just three hours ago.”
Jones said the Clallam County Economic Development Council board will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in Room 208 of the North Olympic Skills Center, 905 W. Ninth St. in Port Angeles to discuss the stimulus bill’s impact and what might get funded.
Members include representatives of Clallam cities, the county, the Port of Port Angeles and Clallam Transit.
Transportation
Transportation is among the largest singles chunks of money distributed under the plan.
The state Department of Transportation will parcel out $300 million, while regional transportation organizations will distribute $150 million.
The Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization covers and includes representatives of Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties.
It’s chaired by Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman, independent-Port Angeles.
Stimulus package funding possibilities on the North Olympic Peninsula include the $7 million Highway 101-Deer Park interchange just east of Port Angeles, a westbound passing lane on state Route 19 at the intersection of state Highway 104 and a second new ferry for the Port Townsend-Keystone run, “the big one on our watch list,” Chapman said.
“The bottom line is, I continue to see the need for transportation improvement projects available on the Peninsula,” said Chapman, saying he supported the legislation. “It’s something we’ve been working on locally here, to maximize our tax dollars.”
But that $60 million nationwide grant program to fund ferry and ferry terminal upgrades Chapman referred to is not a likely source of funding for the ferry, Transportation spokesman Lloyd Brown said.
Most of those funds will likely go toward ferry terminal preservation and improvements, he said.
Over the last several months, each Clallam County Economic Development Council member was asked to prepare five different groups of projects that would be “shovel ready” — either from an engineering or construction standpoint — within 90, 120 and 180 days depending on the project Jones said.
Clallam County government wants money for Phase 2 of county jail expansion, about $1.5 million to $2 million.
Carlsborg sewer
But the big spending item is the Carlsborg sewer system, a $15 million project.
On that project, Jones said, “We may be whistling in the dark,” but noted, hopefully, that “there is a section for sewer and clean-water projects.”
But the Carlsborg project would be more than 13 percent of the total $111.3 million Washington will receive for drinking- and clean-water infrastructure in revolving-loan funds.
The stimulus package also includes $150 million for port security, an area the Port of Port Angeles might tap, McChesney said.
“We’re in the process of reviewing our security needs, and there is a high probability we will be needing some additional grant assistance.”
The Tumwater Creek Bridge replacement project also may qualify as shovel-ready,” McChesney said. One bid has the project costing $800,000, he said.
Nationally, the package also includes $2.5 million for broadband loans for rural areas without Internet access and $4.7 billion for broadband technology, including at least $200 million for public computers including in community colleges and schools and up to $350 million to make and maintain a broadband map of the United States.
West End
Rod Fleck, city of Forks city attorney-planner, said the funds could help areas such as LaPush, the Ho and Quinnault reservations.
He suggested governments in Clallam County present a united front in applying for funding through one or two local agencies rather than several.
“State agencies want to deal with one or two entities,” he said.
The biggest potential, though, is upgrading West End roads and bridges.
“There are opportunities there for the North Olympic Peninsula, and I think collectively for the elected leadership,” he said. “We will be paying these taxes for the next whatever, and we should know some tax dollars are going to make our infrastructure better and make a difference.”
The state Department of Ecology’s wish list included $51 million for habitat restoration for the Elwha watershed once the dam is brought down beginning in 2012.
The funds would build a wastewater collection system, a fish hatchery and a bridge to replace culverts on Stratton Creek.
“Our hope is this would be a priority for National Park Service stimulus money,” Kim Schmanke said.
“We felt it was important to the environment and important for jobs. We don’t know how the money gong to come through. There’s no clear guidance how this money will come into communities. Stay tuned, we are still waiting for those details.”
__________
Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
