Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Lobbying Trip topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Hueneme, City plan joint Washington trip to press federal agencies on dredging, grants
Summary
Committee members discussed a joint Port–City trip to Washington, D.C., tentatively in early September, to meet federal agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to advocate for sand replenishment, FEMA and other grant opportunities; consultants will arrange meetings and the trip budget is drawn from the Community Benefit Fund.
Committee members and staff discussed planning a joint Port–City lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., to advocate with federal agencies on dredging, grants and other Port and City priorities. Staff proposed scheduling the trip two weeks after Labor Day (the week of Sept. 8) and using consultants to set meetings with agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Why it matters: Port and City officials said a coordinated visit strengthens local advocacy and can help secure federal support for projects where Port and City interests overlap, including sand replenishment and infrastructure grants. "We had a great meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers," Port CEO Kristen Diegus said, and staff recommended the Corps be a priority stop because of ongoing dredging needs.
Logistics and funding: consultants John and Carrie (consultants who work with the Port) will arrange meetings and provide transportation; staff said the Community Benefit Fund budget has an existing allocation for a joint trip that was not spent last year and can either carry forward or be reprogrammed with board approval. The group discussed a typical D.C. schedule of two days of meetings (generally a multi‑day trip with early starts and full schedules) and noted that staff will work with the City Clerk to confirm availability for the suggested week in September.
Past results and goals: staff pointed to prior joint advocacy as leading to tangible awards and opportunities. A staff member noted that coordinated advocacy helped secure a previous FEMA award of $750,000 and supported a multi‑agency effort to obtain dredged sand this year; officials said the partnerships increased the locality’s success in pursuing federal resources.
Next steps: staff will poll committee members for availability, work with consultants to draft an agenda of federal agencies to visit and return to the committee with proposed dates and an itemized plan. The committee discussed using the CBF to underwrite the consultant and logistics expenses and tentatively agreed to pursue the September timeframe; no formal vote was taken.
