Saturday, June 15, 2024

Feb. 24, 2009 sees Congressional Record publish “EARMARK DECLARATION”

Volume 155, No. 32 covering the 1st Session of the 111th Congress (2009 - 2010) was published by the Congressional Record.

The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.

“EARMARK DECLARATION” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E335-E336 on Feb. 24, 2009.

The publication is reproduced in full below:

EARMARK DECLARATION

______

HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--

SRG.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824.

Description of Request: Provide $266,000 for Sustainable Agriculture: Expanding and Refining the Ecosystem Base (Sustainable Agriculture). The funding will be used for research to assist farmers on sustainable agriculture practices to help farmers manage their crops for excellent yields, while reducing fertilizer and pesticide use and stemming nutrient losses to ground and surface water. Approximately, $385,000 is for salaries of 11 researchers; $15,000 is for travel expenses; $10,000 is for farmer stipends; $25,000 is for materials and supplies; and

$65,000 is for communication and outreach. Michigan State University expects to leverage at least $150,000 in state, local, and private funds.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--

SRG.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824.

Description of Request: Provide $346,000 for Phytophthora Capsici research. The funding will be used for researching this fungal-like pathogen that lives in the soil and causes plants to rot. This funding will go towards salaries of researchers, laboratory and field equipment, travel expenses, and publication or results. This program receives other federal/state/local/industry funding.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--

SRG.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824.

Description of Request: Provide $346,000 for Controlling Fire Blight Disease of Apple Trees. The funding will be used for research to develop blight-resistant varieties and new, environmentally responsible control strategies to combat this disease. Approximately, $148,000 is for the salaries of laboratory and field research personnel and $36,000 is for materials and supplies. Michigan State University (MSU) has obtained funding from the Michigan Apple Committee and industry sources and will continue to fund the fire blight research at MSU at a level of

$52,500 in FY09.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--

SRG.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824.

Description of Request: Provide $147,000 for Improving the Sustainable Production of Specialty Crops (Improved Fruit Practices). The funding will be used for research to assist growers in producing high quality fruit, dry beans, and sugar beets with environmentally sound, safe, and effective pest control methods and management approaches. Approximately, $131,440 is for salaries and expenses and the remainder is for lab maintenance and equipment. In addition to the federal funds provided by this grant, this research is supported by personnel, equipment, and facilities funded by the Michigan agricultural Experiment Station and Michigan State University Extension.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Natural Resources Conservation--Conservation Operations.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Great Lakes Commission.

Address of Requesting Entity: 2805 S. Industrial Hwy, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-6791.

Description of Request: Provide $404,000 for the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. This funding will protect and improve Great Lakes water quality by controlling erosion and sedimentation; limiting the input of associated nutrients and toxic contaminants; and minimizing off-site sources of damage to harbors, streams, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational facilities and the Basin's system of public works.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Office of Justice Programs--Juvenile Justice.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Our Community's Children.

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Description of Request: Provide $500,000 for extending the length of summer after-school programming and expand after-school programs that serve high school youth.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Corps of Engineers--Investigations.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.

Description of Request: Provide $1,195,000 for the Great Lakes Remedial Action Plans to help states and local communities plan and implement contaminated sediment remediation projects in Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.

Description of Request: Provide funding for the Electric Dispersal Barrier on the Chicago Ship & Sanitary Canal. This barrier is intended to keep aquatic invasive species from entering into the Great Lakes from the canal. This request received two line items: $5,750,000 for the first dispersal harrier and $500,000 for the second harrier.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.

Description of Request: Provide $2,157,000 for the Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration program. The Great Lakes sustain a nationally and internationally significant fishery that has been degraded by habitat losses, contamination, and invasive species. Under this program, the Corps will coordinate with other federal, state, and local agencies and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to plan, implement, and evaluate projects supporting the restoration of the fishery, ecosystem, and beneficial uses of the Great Lakes. This program is an important component of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Dept of Energy--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Grand Rapids.

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Ave., NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Description of Request: Provide $142,725 for installation of a green roof. The roof will be installed on the City Building and demonstrate to a wide audience the energy savings and best practices for maintenance.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Michigan St., NE., Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Description of Request: Provide $190,000 for the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic and Pediatric Infusion Center. Approximately 80 percent of the funds will he used for purchasing equipment and 20 percent for technology information services.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Metro Health.

Address of Requesting Entity: 5900 Byron Center Ave., SW., Wyoming, MI 49519.

Description of Request: Provide $95,000 for an electronic medical records initiative.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 68th Street SE; PO BOX 165, Grand Rapids, MI 49501.

Description of Request: Provide $285,000 for an electronic medical records initiative. Approximately, 33 percent of the funding will be used to purchase servers and a storage device for data system; 33 percent will be used to purchase software; and 33 percent will be used for redundant data lines.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Environmental Protection Agency--STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Projects.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Avenue NW., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.

Description of Request: Provide $500,000 for the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, East Side Combined Sewer Overflow Separation Improvements. The City of Grand Rapids has invested $200 million to separate combined sewers over the last decade.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Buses and Bus Facilities.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Belding, Dial-a-Ride.

Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Depot Street, Belding, MI 48809.

Description of Request: Provide $99,560 for the City of Belding's Dial-a-Ride. This funding will help the Dial-a-Ride acquire a new heating and cooling system for the Pere Marquette Depot, where their dispatch center is located. It will also help fund exterior lights and a fire suppression system at their garage. There is a 20 percent local share from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Buses and Bus Facilities.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Ionia, Dial-a-Ride.

Address of Requesting Entity: 251 East Adams Street, Ionia, Michigan, 48846.

Description of Request: Provide $216,000 for the City of Ionia's Dial-a-Ride. This funding will help the Dial-a-Ride replace two vehicles at a cost of $128,000, in addition to enhancing the Technology and Interconnectivity between the Dial-a-Ride facility and Ionia City Government offices by utilizing fiber optic technology. The remainder of the funding will go towards this technology improvement. There is a 20 percent local share from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Transportation--Capital Investment Grants.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Rapid.

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Ellsworth Avenue, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503

Description of Request: Provide $600,000 for The Rapid's South Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project. Funding will be used for the preliminary design, engineering and environmental work for the development of the BRT project. There is a 20 percent state/local match.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Transportation--Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan Department of Transportation.

Address of Requesting Entity: Grand Region Office, 1420 Front Avenue, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49504.

Description of Request: Provide $3,800,000 for the construction of a rail spur, switch, and station for relocating the Amtrak rail line and station into the Rapid Central Station, the main public transportation hub in Grand Rapids. This project has a 10 percent local/state match.

Bill Number: H.R. 1105.

Account: Economic Development Initiatives.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kent County Convention Arena Authority.

Address of Requesting Entity: 303 Monroe Avenue, NW., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.

Description of Request: Provide $142,500 for the planning, design and construction of an outdoor amphitheater and support facilities at Millennium Park.

____________________

SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 155, No. 32