The updated National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which was signed into law on December 27, included key initiatives for military installations in California’s 8th District. Locally, the NDAA secured $45 million for a wastewater treatment plant at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms and is a critical piece of the joint project between the City of Twentynine Palms and the base to address infrastructure shortcomings and improve groundwater recharge and quality of life. $663,224 was secured for the City of Twentynine Palms to support the transition from individual septic tanks to the city-wide wastewater system. Other military installations in California’s 8th District that received support from the bill include $52 million for a simulation center at Fort Irwin National Training Center and $9.12 million for a solar energy storage system at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
