Feds still thirst for state funds

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005 | 9:42 a.m.

Brian Wargo

CLARK COUNTY $247.5 million

* State Route 159 high-speed bike lane -- $27.8 million.

* Hollywood Regional Park improvements -- $21.1 million.

* Lone Mountain Regional Park improvements -- $19.3 million.

* Cashman Regional Park master plan and development -- $9.2 million.

* Mountains Edge Regional Park improvements -- $13.3 million.

* Desert Breeze Regional Park improvements -- $11.5 million.

* Sunset Regional park renovation -- $9.8 million.

* Moapa Valley Park master plan and development -- $9.2 million.

* State Route 159 trail -- $6.2 million.

BOULDER CITY $2 million

* Veterans Parkway Trail improvements -- $1.4 million.

NORTH LAS VEGAS $93.4 million

* Craig Ranch Regional Park improvements -- $31.5 million.

* 40-acre sports complex north of Las Vegas Beltway -- $14.2 million.

* Centennial-Rome Community Park construction -- $22.6 million.

* Neighborhood Recreational Center remodel -- $6.5 million.

HENDERSON $42.7 million

* Duck Creek and Boulder Highway Trail connections -- $8.8 million.

* Southeast valley linear park and trails -- $10 million.

* Coronado Heights Park and bicycle hub -- $7.4 million.

* Arroyo Santa Rosa Community Park -- $9.7 million.

LAS VEGAS* Up to $138 million

* Lone Mountain West Natural Area Preserve -- $8 million to 10 million.

* Vias Verdes open space -- $8 million to $10 million.

* Gilcrease Orchard acquisition -- $10 million to $20 million.

* Lorenzi Park expansion -- $7 million to $9 million.

* Equestrian Park -- $7 million to $9 million.

* Lorenzi Recreation Center -- $10 million.

* Projects will be considered by the Las Vegas City Council on Nov. 16.

Local government officials are fearful the cleanup of Hurricane Katrina may siphon federal money away from Nevada -- money intended for parks, trails and open space.

A 12-member executive committee representing federal agencies is meeting in Las Vegas this week to review $1 billion in Nevada projects. The panel will make a recommendation to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who has the final say on which projects get funded from the sale of Bureau of Land Management property.

Under the 1998 legislation, 85 percent of the land sale proceeds go for parks and conservation projects. Another 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for water treatment projects and 5 percent goes to the state for schools.

Despite the committee meetings, local government officials are concerned about not getting the money. Earlier this year, the Bush administration unsuccessfully sought 70 percent of the cash from land sales to pay for the deficit.

Rob Mrowka, Clark County's manager of environmental planning, said he's concerned that the federal government's tab for Hurricane Katrina will put pressure on lawmakers to look to Nevada land sales as a source of funding.

He said the committee would have normally approved its recommendation list in June, but the Bush administration's bid to tap into the fund earlier this year delayed the process.

"From things you see out of Washington, Hurricane Katrina has stirred this up again, and they still have eyes on this fund, Mrowka said. "We are optimistic our congressional delegation will stop this, but until it is a done deal we are not being too cocky."

Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said she'"s concerned as well after hearing Tuesday from the city"s Washington lobbyist about a proposal to trim federal block grants to cities by at least 5 percent. The money would be used to pay for Hurricane Katrina.

She think there will always be a concern because that land has a huge price tag," Cyphers said. "When people see that large of a dollar figure, they think that not all of it is needed, and it can be put to better use."

Tessa Hafen, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said because the Bush administration has tried to take the money in the past, there's a risk it could happen again. Reid and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., are confident they will be able to block any change hh the law, she said.

"We have had significant budget problems before Hurricane Katrina, and they were not able to take it," Hafen said.

Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., chairman of the House Resources Committee, has expressed support for keeping the money in Nevada.

Still, there is a concern about that funding formula changing because it is a large pot of money and the federal budget is tight because of the hurricane cleanup and the ongoing war on terrorism. Some congressional insiders believe Nevada is safe this year, but say the proposal could come back next year.

Interior Department spokesman John Wright said it's premature for his office to comment on funding for future projects before Norton has even considered them.

The $1 billion in projects under consideration nearly equals the $1.2 billion of projects funded so far. Local governments have received nearly $539 million and federal projects have received the rest, according to the BLM.

Local governments have requested $402.7 million in this latest round of funding, which is expected to be paid for from the Nov. 16 BLM auction of 2,938 acres. That land has been appraised at $637.5 million.