2 Navy Projects in Line for Funding

Two Navy projects in Ventura County are slated to receive millions of dollars through legislation passed by Congress and being sent to President Clinton for final approval.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center in Port Hueneme would get $10.2 million to build a new ship defense combat engineering facility. An additional $12.6 million would help expand and renovate the Point Mugu Range Operations Center.

“This funding is important to the productivity and morale of our local Navy personnel and to the military readiness of the United States,” said Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), who pushed for funding of the two projects in the Military Construction Appropriations Act, passed Thursday by the House and approved by the Senate.

The project at Port Hueneme would replace temporary trailers and World War II-era structures, substandard structures with asbestos and bad wiring, with an 82,000-square-foot facility, according to Gallegly’s staff members. Point Mugu’s renovation is part of Navy efforts to integrate its West Coast ranges.