Regional Development Strategy Taking Shape

Sonora, CA — The Central Sierra Economic Development District (CSEDD) has collected more than 120 brief descriptions of projects to submit for federal funding.

The CSEDD is under the management of the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) Director Larry Cope. The regional district represents the counties of Tuolumne, Calaveras, Alpine, Mariposa and Amador. It also includes municipalities like the City of Sonora, Angels Camp, and Ione.

The list is currently being compiled and sorted by Director Cope. Many of the projects could be submitted for federal funding. 

Projects on the list are related to infrastructure and include: sewer, water, connector roads, broadband gaps, biomass, “waste to energy” and forest-related projects. Two main criteria for these projects are job creation for long-term employment opportunities and public/private collaborations. Engineering, planning studies, and land acquisition are also considered fundable.

The funding is from the Economic Development Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Projects that do not qualify for federal funding may qualify to be submitted for funding from other sources and are still included in the list. After projects are on the 2012 -2016 list, they can apply for grants when the project becomes “shovel ready”.

A $50,000 grant is funding the collection of proposals to create a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy report. The report will include the projects, and each county’s regional demographic information on unemployment, industry clusters, and economic development strategy.

Below is a preliminary list of 83 projects that have been submitted.

All Counties
1) Job Training Partnership with Workforce Investment Bureaus and One-Stops

Alpine County (3)
1) Bear Valley Transportation Lift
2) Bear Valley Affordable Employee Housing
3) Bear Valley Water District Sewer Extension Project

Amador County (7)
1) Carbondale Industrial Park Infrastructure Project
2) *Riverpines Public Utilities District (RPUD) – Leaking Water Storage Tank
3) *Riverpines Public Utilities District (RPUD) – Delivery System Upgrade and Engineering Project
4) *Riverpines Public Utilities District (RPUD) – Backup Pumps for Water and Sewer
5) *Riverpines Public Utilities District (RPUD) – Sewer System Management Plan – Planning Study
6) *Riverpines Public Utilities District (RPUD) – Safety Equipment for Wastewater Treatment Operator
7) *Kennedy Tailing Wheel #4 Project

Calaveras County (14)
1) Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) – West Point Drinking Water Compliance Project
2) *Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) – Douglas Flat/Vallecito Sewer Line Project
3) *Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) – Sheep Ranch Drinking Water Compliance Project
4) Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) – Copper Cove Tank Transmission Line and Pump Station
5) *Union Public Utility District (UPUD) – Irrigation Line Replacement Project
6) *Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District (MHSD) -Raw Wastewater Influent Meter Replacement
7) *Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District (MHSD) – Primary Pond Sludge Removal
8) *Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District (MHSD) – Wastewater Lift Station Automated Transfer Switch
9) *Mokelumne Hill Sanitary District (MHSD) – Wastewater Plant Headworks Grinder Replacement
10) Murphys Sanitary District (MSD) – Tertiary Treatment Plant Project with Ironstone Vineyards
11) Barney Way Project
12) El Rancho Loma Serena Project
13) Wilseyville Woody Biomass Product Yard Engineering & Construction Project
14) Arnold Parking Structure and Land Acquisition Project

Mariposa County (21)
1) Water/Sewer Supply/Systems Project
2) Road Upgrade Projects
3) Communications Projects (Cellular and Broadband)
4) *Expand Public Parking Downtown Mariposa
5) *Commercial Flights at Airport
6) Conference & Performing Arts Conference Center/Hotel Project
7) Sports Complex Project
CEDS Project List 2012-2016 March 2, 2012 Page 2
8) *John Muir Geotourism Project
9) *Film Commission Project
10) *Hospitality Academy Project
11) *”Cowboy Corridor” Project
12) *Golf Course Project
13) *Outdoor Recreational Facilities and Activities Project
14) *Artist Colony
15) Expansion of Business Services
16) Job/Trade (Re)Training
17) Business Park
18) John C. Fremont Hospital Replacement
19) Continuing Care Community Project
20) *”Made in Mariposa” Project
21) Technology R & D Incubator

Tuolumne County (31)
1) Dry Creek Project – Jamestown
2) Jamestown Mine Project
3) Broadband Fiber Ring Project
4) Cowboy Country Project
5) Twin Creeks Project
6) Lime Kiln Project
7) Sonora Area Regional Center Project
8) Mountain Springs Project
9) Yosemite Junction Project
10) Chinese Camp Downtown Renovation Project
11) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Jamestown Water Pipe Improvements for Commercial Area
12) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Pedro Y Tank Supply Line for Commercial Site
13) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – New Sierra Pines Water Treatment Plant and Distribution System for Commercial Development
14) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Jamestown Water Storage Improvements
15) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Raw Water Pipeline from Lyons to Section 4 Ditch
16) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – New Standard Water Treatment Plant for Commercial Area
17) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Regional Water Treatment Plant and Transmission Mains
18) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Intertie for Big Hill to Columbia
19) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Phoenix Lake Improvements
20) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Water Pipeline to Standard Area for Commercial Development
21) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – New Melones Pump Station Improvements
22) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – New Water Pipeline from East Sonora to Junction 22) Shopping Center Area
23) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – East Sonora Interceptor Wastewater Project
24) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Tuolumne City Wastewater Treatment Plant
Expansion/Commercial Expansion
25) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Mi Wuk Wastewater Collection System (tribe)
26) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Tuolumne City Wastewater Collection System Improvements
27) Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – TUD Tree Farm Project
28) *Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – TUD West Ranch Storage
CEDS Project List 2012-2016 March 2, 2012 Page 3
29) *Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – TUD Reclamation Distribution Improvement Project
30) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – TUD Tertiary Treatment Plant(s)
31) * Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) – Columbia Collection System Improvements

City of Angels Camp (5)
1) Looping Dead End Water Mains (Several Projects)
2) North Angels Sewer Trunk Line Project
3) 4th Pressure Filter Project
4) Second Water Storage Tank Project
5) Second Water Main from Treatment Plant to City Project

City of Ione

1) Ione Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

*projects that may not meet the EDA criteria, but may qualify for other funding sources.