THE VOICE OF MODESTO

By Carmen Sabatino

After almost two years of debate over the Kamilos Westside Project and the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money the “scam” has finally been exposed.  I am proud of the people of the Westside who have fought to stop this project, despite the efforts of political “leaders” who thought it was politically correct to ram the project down our throats.  All of Stanislaus County will benefit when the Board of Supervisors cuts Kamilos loose.

The Sabatino Report and the Morning Mayor Show have told you about Kamilos many times.  Perhaps the Supervisors can show us the original maps of the huge residential development that is planned for the over 4000 acres around the Crows Landing Naval Air Station.

The following press release is good news, but we cannot ignore the need for truck transportaion for distances of 5oo miles or less.  To that end, the expansion of Highway 132 should be done soon and the Northern Corridor nonsense put to bed.

You choose, Highway 132 which connects Modesto with Highway 5, for safer automobile and truck traffic, or the Northern Corridor which connects future residential development on farm land with Highway 99.

From: Boxer, Press Office (Boxer)
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 9:17 AM
Subject: Boxer Lauds $30 Million Investment in Ports of Oakland, Stockton and West Sacramento

For Immediate Release:

February 17, 2010

Contact:  Zachary Coile or Kate Folmar

(202) 224-8120

BOXER LAUDS $30 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PORTS OF OAKLAND, STOCKTON AND WEST SACRAMENTO
Department of Transportation Announcement Will Create Jobs and Speed the Movement of Goods

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today praised U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s announcement that the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and West Sacramento will receive $30  million to develop and use a marine highway system as an alternative to shipping freight by truck.

Senator Boxer said, “This critical investment will create jobs at our ports while reducing air pollution and congestion on our roads. When Secretary LaHood visited the Port of Oakland last year, I urged him to support California’s efforts to move more freight through our network of ports. I applaud him for following through with this commitment today.”

Senator Boxer and Secretary LaHood visited the Port of Oakland last July and talked with California port officials about the importance of “marine highways” as a way to relieve congestion, reduce air pollution and move goods more efficiently. In September, Senator Boxer wrote Secretary LaHood expressing support for the joint application of the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and West Sacramento for a grant to establish a marine highway barge system to move freight between the three ports.

Secretary LaHood announced today that the three California ports will receive the grant through the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant Program, a competitive grant program that supports projects that promise significant economic and environmental benefits to a metropolitan area, region or state.

The grant will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diesel particulate emissions, while also cutting energy consumption and providing savings in fuel costs for shippers – including farmers shipping agricultural products grown in the Central Valley. The innovative partnership between the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and West Sacramento is supported by the Bay Area Council, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association.

This project was one of four California projects that received federal transportation grants totaling $130 million today.

For more information on the grants, go to www.dot.gov.