PORT HUENEME : FEMA Agrees to Pay 75% of Pier Costs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has tentatively agreed to provide 75% of the estimated $290,000 required to rebuild the east wing of Port Hueneme’s pier, city maintenance director Tina Esparza said Wednesday.

The remaining 25%--about $72,500--probably will come from city coffers, Esparza said.

The T-shaped pier became an L-shaped structure when powerful January storms swept away the east end along with 39 pilings, four benches and two light standards. The city spent $180,000 on repairs to reopen the pier without its eastern leg in February.

Esparza said the tentative funding agreement is not enough to start building. In fact, construction is unlikely to occur before spring because of necessary safety precautions, weather patterns and the paperwork associated with building along the coast, she said.

The California Coastal Commission recently approved a permit to rebuild the pier, and the City Council was briefed about the Army Corps of Engineers’ role in the rebuilding process at a meeting Wednesday night.