Federal Grant Sought for Quake Repairs

Ventura County’s supervisors agreed Tuesday to apply for a $5-million federal earthquake relief grant.

The money would go a long way toward funding more than $13 million worth of improvement projects targeted by county analysts in a report last week, officials said.

Topping the $13.5-million wish list are repairs to reservoirs in Simi Valley, Fillmore and Piru damaged by the Jan. 17 Northridge earthquake.

Other projects include constructing a bridge over Tapo Street near the Brandeis-Bardin industrial park in Simi Valley, installing emergency generators in Fillmore to increase the city’s water-pumping capacity and improving roads cracked by the temblor.

The completed grant application must reach Washington by the end of the month, and a decision is expected by Jan. 15, Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg said.

Wittenberg told board members that there is a good chance of getting the U.S. Department of Commerce award because of discussions several board members had with Secretary Ron Brown when he visited Southern California after the earthquake.