How California drought relief funds will be spent
How California emergency drought relief funds will be spent
California Gov. Jerry Brown, left, responds to a question concerning aid to drought-stricken communities after touring the California Emergency Services State Operations Center in Mather, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014. Brown, accompanied by Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, right, toured the facility then announced a $687 million plan to provide immediate help to those affected by the drought throughout California.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
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
