WASHINGTON (WRO) — Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio has requested $2.3 million for the next phase of the Kagman watershed project.
In a letter to Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Ct., of the House Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, Tenorio explained that together the federal government and the CNMI have already contributed $4.3 million to the project.
“Without the required funding for the next phase the benefits of the project may be lost and all previous investments will not be actualized,” stated Tenorio in his letter.
The Kagman watershed project is under the supervision of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and was designed to prevent flooding, control erosion, provide a reservoir for irrigation for local farmers, protect fragile marine and coral reef ecosystems from storm water runoff, and develop sustainable agricultural and economic development.
Recently, a water control structure and box culverts were completed.
The funds Tenorio has requested will complete waterways A, B, and C of the plan.
“The Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council has done a fantastic job of overseeing this project, and I have been trying to get their funding back on track for the last several years. This project has been ongoing since the mid-nineties, but the funding was interrupted in 2003 when Congress diverted funding from approved ongoing project such as Kagman, to a new set of earmarked projects.”
When the control of Congress changed hands in January, the new majority decided to stop work on the FY 2007 budget and placed the U.S. government on a continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year. They also canceled all earmarks which zeroed out the USDA-NRCS budget.
“I was very hopeful last year because I had been able to convince this appropriations subcommittee to include Kagman watershed in their funding proposal, which they did. Unfortunately, that budget never passed,” Tenorio said. “I have also requested Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo’s assistance with this request. If we can’t get funding earmarked for this project, then I hope that we can convince the committee to treat Kagman as an on-going project, and provide funding as was recently intended.”
He added, “If this funding request is not approved by Congress, then the CNMI government with its more than $50 million of unspent CIP funds should provide funds to complete this very important project which could dramatically increase water supply to our residents as well as protect our natural environment.”