Omnibus Bill Contains Millions For Flood Mitigation And Tribal Needs

President Biden signed the over 1.7-trillion dollar omnibus bill late Friday that will fund the government and avert a government shutdown. The biil contains money for Coconino County, including the over much-needed money for many flood mitigation projects. The bill includes $1.3-million for a regional tribal service center to better serve tribal lands within the county and $3.3-million for Fort Tuthill water and sewer replacement and $1.1 million for the county’s emergency management enhancements. Also in the bill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Watershed Protection Program will receive $925-million, in which $50-million will go to the Coconino County Flood Control District for two projects. The projects will provide flood mitigation in six neighborhoods within the Schultz Pipeline Flood Area. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service will receive $210-million for post-wildfire disaster relief funding. This funding will be directed to projects that will address impacts to downstream communities from wildfires on national forests, including post-wildfire flooding. The county’s flood control district is working to secure $40-million for critical on-forest watershed restoration measures. The bill also secured $4.1-million for a new domestic violence shelter in Tuba City The bill would fund the act for five more years.