Cities will compete for funds when call for projects goes out later this month
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority board on Monday approved allocating nearly $3 million to help improve water quality in Orange County.
The funds come from Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. The ballot measure approved by voters in 2006 includes funding for an Environmental Cleanup Program that awards money on a competitive basis to cities and the county for projects that reduce the impacts of water pollution related to transportation.
Protecting the county’s natural resources, while at the same time improving the transportation network, is a key promise made to voters in Measure M.
The OCTA board has approved a two-tier approach to funding, with Tier 1 projects focused on removing visible pollutants such as litter and debris from roads before they reach waterways and Tier 2 projects focused on detention basins and bioswales that can prevent chemicals, heavy metals and sediment from reaching the ocean.
In the current call for projects, that runs through May 19, OCTA will make $2.8 million available countywide for Tier 1 projects that improve water quality.
An 11-member committee reviews the proposals and makes recommendations to the OCTA board. Last year, OCTA received 46 applications from 29 cities.
So far, at least $5.6 million has been awarded for water quality projects, including a litter removal project in Newport Beach, installation of catch basin inserts and screens in Tustin and stormwater and transportation runoff abatement project in Mission Viejo, among many others throughout the county. Nearly $58 million was made available through Measure M’s Early Action Plan for water quality improvements. Some $300 million is expected to be awarded for that purpose over the 30-year life of Measure M.
For more information on the Measure M water quality program, visit octa.net/water.
