Senator Mark Pryor Press Releases

Washington – Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation today announced that Congress has finalized an omnibus appropriations bill containing millions of dollars for numerous state and local priorities for Arkansas.

The members of the Arkansas congressional delegation making today’s announcement include U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln (D) and Mark Pryor (D) and Representatives Marion Berry (D-1st), Vic Snyder (D-2nd), and Mike Ross (D-4th). Pryor and Berry are members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and House Appropriations Committee, respectively.

The omnibus appropriations bill combines nine of the twelve annual spending bills for fiscal year 2009. The omnibus bill passed the House this week; the Senate is expected to consider the legislation next week.

“At a time when so many of our communities are struggling, it is vital Congress pass legislation that will provide adequate funding to federal agencies that support economic development, health care initiatives, and infrastructure improvements,” said Lincoln. “I am pleased to have worked with several of our communities and universities to secure funding that will help them as they work to improve the lives of Arkansans.”

“This package contains dozens of important projects to drive economic development in Arkansas, including much-needed funding to supplement agriculture, transportation, law enforcement, health care and public works projects,” Pryor said. “As a new member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to allocate dollars where they can be most effective. One of my goals is to help get individual spending bills completed in a fair, responsible and efficient manner in order to avoid massive omnibus bills.”

“These federal dollars will support important economic development efforts throughout our state,” said Berry. “By investing in projects such as infrastructure, education, health care, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil we are taking immediate action to create jobs and strengthen our economy.”

“The funded Second District projects in this bill are excellent investments in Arkansas’s future,” said Snyder. “All of the projects were requested by entities of either state or local government or by President Bush’s administration.”

“For far too long our domestic priorities have been ignored and I think it is time we start investing in America again,” said Ross. “I will never shy from working to secure federal investments for our state’s many infrastructure, education, agriculture and local law enforcement needs. Investments in these critical areas create and save jobs and put many of our local communities on a path to sustained economic growth.”

The following are critical state and local priorities in Arkansas that the congressional delegation successfully fought to include in the bill:

Agriculture

$939,000 for the Animal Science Food Safety Consortium (AR, IA, KS) - In Arkansas, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, UAMS, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital will use the funding for safety research and education activities.

$319,000 for the Center for Integrated Forest Management Strategies at the University of Arkansas in Monticello – The funding will be used for forestry research and education activities.

$775,000 for the Institute for Food Science and Engineering at the University of Arkansas – The funding will be used for research and education activities to improve the study of food science and human nutrition.

$164,000 for Enhancing Agricultural Profitability and Sustainability through Specialty Crops at the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University – The funding will be used for research designed to help growers, producers, and processors to develop profitable production systems of specialty crops.

$1,248,000 for Geographic Information Systems - Arkansas is one of eight states to participate in this project. This funding will be used to eliminate the digital divide facing rural America by promoting the transfer of geospatial technologies to under-served rural areas.

$1,951,245 for the National Water Management Center – The funding will be used for conservation operations.

$57,000 for the Big Slough Watershed Project in Clay County.

$110,000 for the Departee Creek Watershed Project in Independence and Jackson Counties.

$52,511,000 for the National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson County.

$2,979,000 for the Delta Regional Authority – The funding will be used to award grants in the Delta region. Some grant recipients may be located in Arkansas.

Approximately $5,600,000 for the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center in Little Rock – Funding will be used for investigations on optimizing the nutrition and health of children from conception through adolescence. Funding includes $135,000 for sorghum research.

Approximately $3,450,000 for the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville.

Approximately $994,000 for the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville – The funding will be used to conduct endophyte research.

Approximately $3,506,283 for the Dale Bumpers Rice Research Center in Stuttgart.

Approximately $3,937,000 for the Lower Mississippi Delta Nutrition Intervention Initiative - The funding will be used to initiate community involved planning, implement interventions, and conduct research to assess the effects on health and nutrition status in counties throughout the Delta Region over the next 5 years. This consortium consists of the Agriculture Research Service and six universities located in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Approximately $580,000 for the National Center for Agricultural Law Research and Information at the University of Arkansas.

Approximately $3,636,366 for the Harry Dupree National Aquaculture Research Center in Stuttgart – The funding will be usedfor research on the genetic improvement of hybrid striped bass. Arkansas leads the nation in raising hybrid striped bass, as well as in producing 80 percent of the nation’s baitfish and other food fishes.

$519,000 for the Aquaculture Systems Research Unit at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.

Approximately $1,568,934 for the Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit at the University of Arkansas.

$217,000 for Wildlife Services in Arkansas to provide assistance with migratory bird problems with a special emphasis on protecting agriculture; public health and safety; property; and natural resources.

$2,582,000 for the National Center for Appropriate Technology – The funding will be used for the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas project to provide information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture.

Also, the bill provides funding for technical assistance for rural water systems and the Grassroots Source Water Protection Agency. Some of this funding will go to Arkansas. Additionally, the bill provides continued funding for animal, plant, and health inspection services in Arkansas.

Commerce, Justice, and Science

$1,000,000 for Criminal Justice Institute, Rural Executive Management Institute - The Rural Executive Management Institute delivers management education and training to rural law enforcement executives across the nation. It is implemented in Little Rock by the Criminal Justice Institute of the University of Arkansas System.

$500,000 for the Arkansas State Police, COPS Methamphetamine Drug Hot Spots Program - This funding will be used to certify and equip officers assigned to investigate, seize, dismantle, and direct the clean-up of clandestine methamphetamine labs.

$400,000 for the City of Pine Bluff Police Department for precinct improvement.

$500,000 for the Criminal Justice Institute, Methamphetamine Education and Training for the Arkansas Law Enforcement Community - The Criminal Justice Institute will use this funding to provide methamphetamine-focused courses for the Arkansas law enforcement community.

$500,000 for the City of Fayetteville Police Department, Simulcast Communications System - This funding will help the city of Fayetteville’s Police Department to purchase, install, and implement an Astro 25 LE simulcast system. The system would improve radio coverage and provide police officers and firefighters with an interoperable communications system in emergency situations.

$500,000 for Save the Children, Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Project - Save the Children’s programs in the Arkansas Delta towns of Dermott and Helena West-Helena provide K-8 school children with safe and educational after-school activities from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Many parents are still working at this time when juvenile crime rates triple.

$800,000 for Criminal Justice Institute School Resource Officer Program - The Criminal Justice Institute will create a uniform School Resource Officer Program for Arkansas. Currently, Arkansas has no uniform standards, training guidelines, or certification requirements for its 214 school resource officers.

$512,000 for the Hot Springs Police Department – The funds are intended for mobile data equipment such as computer upgrades for police vehicles.

$500,000 for NorthWest Arkansas Community College for the National Children Protection Training Center (Southern Region) to reduce cases of child abuse and improve support for victims of child abuse.

$200,000 for the Arkansas State Police Tactical Collaboration System – The funding will assist the Arkansas State Police to implement a secure, web-based interoperable system to provide an interactive picture of law enforcement resources en route and at the scene of critical incidents or natural disasters.

$500,000 for the City of Little Rock for Local Communications Interoperability – The funding will provide upgrades and digital conversions for communication networks utilized by public safety and local government administrative services in Pulaski County.

$40,000 for the Garland County Sheriff’s Department – The funding will allow the Garland County Sheriff’s Department to acquire a Side Scan Sonar for their Dive Team.

$50,000 for the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department to obtain a new Sex Offender Registry/ID system.

$50,000 for the St. Charles Police Department in Arkansas County.

$65,000 for St. Francis County Sheriff’s Office for methamphetamine enforcement and eradication.

$100,000 for the Cotton Plant Police Department in Woodruff County.

$300,000 for Pulaski County Youth Services – The funding will be used for the Youth Initiative to Encourage Learning and Development.

Energy and Water

$13 million for the Delta Regional Authority.

$1,189,325 for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) - The UALR Nanotechnology Center will use these funds to continue to develop new approaches to improve the efficiency of solar energy devices at lower costs.

$1,903,000 million to conduct the site characterization work to begin the decommissioning of the Southwest Experimental Fast Oxide Reactor (SEFOR) as a demonstration project to test expedited procedures for a reactor site cleanup.

$951,500 for Arkansas State University (ASU) Ethanol - ASU currently has on staff a leading expert in the production of enzymes in a plant system that will lower the cost of ethanol production significantly. The Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI) laboratory will lead an effort to bring together a skilled team that would bring this industry to not only Arkansas, but to all agricultural areas in the U.S.

$475,750 for the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT) – This funding will help the NCREPT continue to develop improvements to overall power transmission reliability and efficiency.

$1,903,000 for the MidSouth/Southeast BioEnergy Consortium - Funds will go to three universities in the South, including Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas, to develop economic and environmentally viable systems to produce, harvest, and process relevant feedstocks for biodiesel and ethanol operations.

Corps of Engineer Projects include:

Sec. 205 Small Flood Control Projects – Wynne, AR

Sec. 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration – Brownsville Branch, AR

Sec. 1135 Projects to Improve the Environment:

Millwood Lake, Grassy Lake, AR

Lower Cache Restoration, AR

Rock Creek at Boyle Park, Ecosystem Restoration Project (Little Rock)

Construction

Grand Prairie, AR $8,000,000

Mississippi River Levees $61,247,000

AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO & TN

St. Francis Basin, AR and MO $5,461,000

Channel Improvements $52,875,000

AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO & TN

Ozark-Jeta Taylor Powerhouse, AR $16,555,080

Red River Emergency Bank Protection $2,871,000

AR & LA

Red River Below Denison Dam $2,105,000

AR, LA, OK & TX

White River Minimum Flow, AR $5,000,000

Fourche Bayou Basin, Little Rock, AR $1,101,000

General Investigation and Studies

Boeuf Tensas project $250,000

Bayou Meto $2,641,000

Pine Mountain Dam Planning $478,000

White River Basin Investigations $215,000

White River Navigation to Newport, AR $287,000

Lower Mississippi River Resource Assessment $243,000

AR, IL, KY, IA, MS, MO and TN

May Branch, Fort Smith, AR $109,000

Southwest Arkansas $143,000

Operations and Maintenance

Channel Improvement, $67,030,000

AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO &TN

Helena Harbor, Phillips County $128,000

Inspection of Completed Works $244,000

Lower Arkansas River, North Bank, AR $251,000

Lower Arkansas River, South Bank, AR $158,000

White River Backwater $999,000

Mississippi River Levees $15,873,000

AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO & TN

St. Francis Basin, AR & MO $7,856,000

Tensas Basin, Boeuf and Tensas Rivers $1,841,000

AR & LA

Osceola Harbor $1,102,000

Yellow Bend $77,000

White River $48,000

McClellan-Kerr Navigation system $27,275,000

Beaver Lake $4,892,000

Blakely Mt. Dam, Lake Ouachita $8,504,000

Blue Mountain Lake $1,325,000

Bull Shoals Lake $6,838,000

Dardanelle Lock and Dam $7,881,000

DeGray Lake $6,571,000

DeQueen Lake $1,194,000

Dierks Lake $1,257,000

Gillham Lake $1,073,000

Greers Ferry Lake $6,369,000

Helena Harbor $229,000

Inspection of Completed Works $472,000

Millwood Lake $1,925,000

Narrows Dam, Lake Greeson $4,832,000

Nimrod Lake $1,494,000

Norfork Lake $3,639,000

Ouachita and Black Rivers, AR & LA $7,898,000

Ozark - Jeta Taylor Lock and Dam $4,908,000

Project Condition Surveys $8,000

Financial Services

$100,000 for the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation – This funding will be used toequip laboratories in a new, privately developed multi-tenant research facility at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park (ARTP).

$245,643 for ASU-Newport – ASU-Newport, through its Arkansas Commercial Driver Training Institute, is a national leader in entry-level and enhanced commercial driver training for the over-the-road sector of the transportation industry. Funds will be utilized to improve ASU-Newport’s Driver Skills Training Range.

$494,000 Arkansas State University for the new business incubator at ASU’s Arkansas Biosciences Institute. The funds will be used to provide infrastructure improvements and support services for business start-ups.

Interior

$500,000 for the Arkansas Seismological Observatory at UALR - Funding will allow the Arkansas Earthquake Center at UALR to integrate the existing seismic stations along the fault line, install new stations, and operate these seismic stations as a network to monitor and study earthquake activity in Arkansas.

$1,750,000 for the Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery – Funds will be used to fully develop a visitor center that incorporates environmental education, outreach, and official functions.

$300,000 for the City of Fayetteville’s Water System Improvements – The funding will be used to repair deteriorated piping infrastructure.

$335,000 for the City of Heber Springs’ West End Sewer Project for feasibility studies and a master plan for sewer improvements.

$330,000 for the City of Warren’s Water System Improvements – The funding will be used to extend water and sewer along the Northeast bypass.

$300,000 for the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority – The funding will be used to provide a safe and reliable source of drinking water to over 21,500 people in North Central Arkansas.

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education

$143,000 for the KIPP Foundation – The KIPP Foundation will use this funding to support student programs and extended learning time at KIPP Delta College Prep in Helena-West Helena.

$190,000 for North Arkansas College in Harrison – The funding will be used to provide classroom and laboratory equipment for North Arkansas College’s allied health degree programs.

$452,000 for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) – This funding will support the construction of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center. The new building is projected to include more than 300,000 sq. ft. and will be constructed adjacent to the current ACRC Walker Tower. The design work has been completed and the site work and foundation are underway.

$95,000 for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) – The funding will be used to purchase equipment.

$333,000 for the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) – UCAwill use these funds to continue its successful technology infrastructure improvements.

$238,000 for the South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado – The funding will be used to expand the nursing school’s curriculum and acquire equipment.

$343,000 for National Park Community College, Advanced Health Care Training Initiative - The funding will be used for facilities and equipment for the Advanced Health Care Training Initiative at National Park Community College in Hot Springs Park.

$1.189 million for the Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith – The funding will be used for facilities and equipment at the Cancer Center.

$71,000 for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock – The funding will be used to obtain instruction equipment for the Center for Nursing Education.

$238,000 for White River Medical Center – The funding will be used to purchase a breast biopsy table and digital mammographer machine.

$951,000 for White River Medical Center – The funding will be used for hospital expansion.

$214,000 for Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock – In an effort to meet the needs of local transportation business and industry, Pulaski Technical College is building a Transportation Technology Center. The funding will be used to purchase technology and equipment.

Transportation and Housing and Urban Development

$2,850,000 for the Interstate 69/Great River Bridge: Highway 65-MS Highway 1 (South Arkansas).

$2,850,000 for the Interstate 430/630 Interchange (Little Rock).

$380,000 for the Bella Vista Bypass.

$950,000 for Marion Overpass - The project will provide a grade separation crossing over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks.

$2,370,000 for the I-555 Access Road (Poinsett County) - This funding will create an access road along the highway from Marked Tree to Payneway which will provide an artery for agriculture and local transportation to the St. Francis River floodway.

$950,000 for the State of Arkansas, Bus and Bus Facilities for Urban, Rural, and Elderly & Disabled Agencies - Funding will be used for buses and bus facilities for Arkansas’s small urban and rural transit systems. In addition, funding will help secure vans and small buses for Arkansas’s 250 community service organizations serving the elderly and persons with disabilities.

$427,500 for ASU-Mountain Home – The funding will be used for the construction of the multipurpose Veda Sheid Center, which will host a variety of community focused outreach programs.

$332,500 for the Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation, EI Dorado - The Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation Project will use the funds to restructure bridges in the El Dorado area in order to carry heavier loads boosting economic development and commerce in the region.

$380,000 for Winrock International’s Regional Entrepreneur Assistance Program – Funding will be used to establish a series of entrepreneur recruitment efforts.

$712,500 for the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport for the installation of an instrument landing system and approach lighting system.

$1.9 million for I-540 Interchange Improvements in Washington and Benton Counties.

$950,000 for the Garrison Avenue Streetscaping in Fort Smith

$237,500 for the Fort Smith Western and Eastern Rail Trolley Extension.

$237,500 for Highway 64: Vilonia Bypass.

$570,000 for Razorback Transit for Environmental, Security and Bus Upgrades.

$475,000 for the Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facility – Funds will be used to construct infrastructure to develop the intermodal and industrial park facility.

$47,500 for the Professional Aerial Application Support System (PAASS), an agricultural aviation education program focused on pilot safety, operation security and the safe and on-target delivery of crop protection products.

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