SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A $687 million plan announced Wednesday is aimed at addressing the state’s immediate and pressing drought concerns.
Most of the funding comes from voter-approved bonds and is dedicated to projects that already are underway or are awaiting funds. Some of the expenditures were included in the governor’s proposed budget for 2014-15.
The state also is tapping more than $75 million from its general fund, its main checkbook. Negotiations continue to revise an upcoming $11.1 billion bond addressing California’s long-term water needs.
A look at how most of the latest money will be divvied up:
-$549 million for local and regional infrastructure grants including water conservation and recycling from voter-approved bond money
-$30 million for water efficiency and energy savings moved from greenhouse gas reduction fund
-$25.3 million for food assistance in drought-stricken areas from general fund
-$21 million for housing related assistance in drought-stricken areas from general fund
- $15 million to address emergency drinking water shortages from general fund
-$14 million for groundwater management, including for communities fighting contamination
-$13 million for conservation corps activities and wildfire prevention
-$10 million for water-saving irrigation and pumping systems from Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
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