A federal spending bill that includes millions of dollars for several Marin County projects received final approval in Congress this week and is headed for President Bush's desk.

The $30.5 billion energy and water development appropriations bill includes $13 million for Novato wetlands restoration, $1.1 million for the San Francisco Bay Model in Sausalito and $150,000 for Bolinas Lagoon restoration.

The Novato project calls for restoring 1,000 acres of wetlands off Hamilton and Bel Marin Keys by using more than 10 million cubic yards of clean dredged material . The Bay Model funding will pay for operations and maintenance at the Sausalito education facility. The Bolinas allocation will help pay for additional study of whether the lagoon should be dredged.

Sedimentation is slowing the tidal flow in and out of Bolinas Lagoon, and scientists have warned that without any remediation, the lagoon could become a mud hole.

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http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_3222708