Portland – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, joined by
U.S. Congressman Peter DeFazio and Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy applauded federal funding to complete two of the City of
Eugene’s major projects at Delta Ponds.
“The Recovery Act is creating jobs,
building local communities and laying the foundation for economic growth right
here in Eugene,” Merkley said. “The Delta
Ponds projects are going to have tremendous impact on the local economy. By completing
the final pieces of two worthy, shovel-ready projects, recovery funds are
making an immediate economic, environmental, and recreational impact for the
entire region.”
About $4.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funds will underwrite about 120 jobs to complete two long running habitat and
transportation projects at Delta Ponds.
The projects will restore wetland habitat, build a
fish-friendly culvert for endangered Chinook salmon, complete a 1000-foot
elevated multi-use path extension along the Delta Ponds and construct a
340-foot pedestrian and bike bridge over Delta Highway.
Congressman DeFazio and Mayor
Piercy are longtime backers of both of the Delta Ponds projects. DeFazio has
successfully secured federal funding for two different initiatives at the ponds
as part of this larger project totaling more than $6.5 million. Their years of
support have made the Delta Ponds projects shovel ready for recovery funds.
“Completing the bike path and the environmental restoration
work at Delta Ponds will make this great asset even more accessible,” DeFazio
said. “This federal investment will create jobs, and improve a local
asset that will benefit the economy and generations to come.”
“Eugene
is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader for our outstanding
bicycle and pedestrian path system and for our unparalleled array of parks,
open spaces and natural areas,” Piercy said. “These two projects will greatly
enhance both of those major community assets, and they provide a great example
of exactly what the stimulus money was intended to do – fund high priority
infrastructure projects that add lasting value in local communities, and create
and preserve jobs. The City of Eugene is very grateful to Senator Merkley
and Congressman DeFazio for their leadership and representation in Washington,
D.C., for their strong support of the Delta Ponds project, and their assistance
in bringing these stimulus dollars and other resources back home.”
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