U.S. Flag and Missouri State Flag Kit Bond, Sixth Generation Missourian
 

BOND – TALENT SECURES $15 MILLION FOR KEY SOUTHEAST MISSOURI INITIATIVES

Thursday, July 20, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent today announced that they secured almost $15 million in federal funds for key projects in southeast Missouri in the Senate Transportation-Treasury-HUD spending bill.

“These projects will mean more efficient transportation and increased revitalization in our rural communities in southeast Missouri,” said Bond, chairman of the Senate Transportation-Treasury-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. “I will continue to use my position on the Appropriations Committee and as Missouri’s senior Senator to send federal dollars back to the state to fund local priorities.”

“Increased transportation infrastructure funding is vital to Southeast Missouri,” said Sen. Talent. “The money it takes to widen lanes, straighten curves, broaden shoulders and build new roads and bridges is a small price to pay for economic growth and saving lives. Getting this funding approved in committee was a critical step and I will continue pushing for it when the bill comes to the floor of the Senate.”

Bond and Talent secured the almost $15 million in federal funds in the fiscal year 2007 spending bill, which passed subcommittee earlier this week and is scheduled to pass the full committee this afternoon. Before being signed into the law the bill must be passed by the full Senate and reconciled with the House of Representatives version.

Bond and Talent secured the $14.82 Million in funds for the following southeast Missouri projects:

• $3.9 million for the Pemiscot County Port Authority – Funds will be used to complete a rail spur and to facilitate paving a connector road to transform the port into an intermodal transportation hub, making it more attractive to manufacturers and shippers.

• $2,787,000 for the Butler County Commission – Funds will be used for the Industrial Park By-Pass project, to create a safe avenue for truck traffic in and out of the Industrial Park.

• $1,660,800 Southeast Missouri Transportation Service – Funds will be used for necessary capital maintenance, replace transit vehicles, and improve transit infrastructure by providing a regional fleet of back up vehicles for rural public transportation.

• $1.2 million for the Route Y Reconstruction Project – Funds will be used to improve safety and mobility on a Stoddard County route experiencing heavy truck traffic.

• $1.1 million for the Park Hills and Mineral Area College Outer Road – Funds will be used for the construction of an outer road along U.S. 67 from Griffith to Rosener Road.

• $1 million for the Ste. Genevieve Main Street/Riverfront Improvement Project -- Funds will be used for construction of infrastructure improvements along Main Street in downtown Ste. Genevieve and improvements to the City's riverfront, the City's gateway for tourists arriving from Illinois by ferry.

• $1 million for the Dorena-Hickman Ferry Boat Service – Funds will be used to increase barge loading capacity.

• $875,000 for the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission – Funds will be used to develop the Stoddard County Ag Complex with spur rail that will support a Bio-Diesel Plant and other agriculture related industries.

• $800,000 for the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge – Funds will be used for the Wildlife Refuge Recreational Trail & Habitat Improvement, a local, state and federal partnership to provide a recreational nature trail for public access.

• $500,000 for the Greenville Trail – Funds will be used to link the City of Greenville with the US Corps of Engineers' Old Greenville Campground.

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