| Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and John Garamendi (CA-08) introduced legislation to expand the boundary of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area to include approximately 62 acres of publicly owned land in Solano County. “The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is an integral part of our community, and this bill will help to ensure that Rio Vista can benefit from federal grants for the redevelopment of the decommissioned Rio Vista Army base,” said Thompson. “I am proud to introduce a bill with Rep. Garamendi to expand the Delta National Heritage Area to include publicly owned land in Rio Vista and ensure that our communities are able to receive the federal dollars necessary to help repair and preserve the land for generations to come.” “After more than 8 years of effort, the late Senator Feinstein’s and my bill designating the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as California’s first National Heritage Area was finally enacted into law in 2019. This federal law makes up to $10 million in federal grant funding available for local projects like the proposed redevelopment of the decommissioned Rio Vista Army base. After representing Rio Vista for a decade in Congress, I am pleased to hand over my bill expanding the Delta National Heritage Area to make this adjacent publicly owned land eligible for federal grant funding to the city’s new Congressman Mike Thompson. I will continue working with Congressman Thompson to clean up the decommissioned Rio Vista Army base and conserve the Delta, which my family has been fortunate to call home for over 40 years,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA08). In March 2019, Congress enacted bicameral legislation into law designating the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as California’s first National Heritage Area to provide $10 million for community-based efforts to conserve the Delta’s cultural heritage, historic landmarks, and natural beauty. Thompson and Garamendi introduced this legislation at the request of the City of Rio Vista to expand the National Heritage Area’s boundary to include approximately 62 acres of adjacent publicly owned land encompassing: the decommissioned United States Army Reserve Center (Rio Vista), U.S. Coast Guard Station Rio Vista, Beach Drive Wastewater Treatment Plant (City of Rio Vista), and Sandy Beach County Park (Solano County). Two of these parcels—the decommissioned United States Army Reserve Center and Beach Drive Wastewater Treatment Plant—are owned by the City of Rio Vista |
