FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 2, 2004
Contact:  Adrienne Elrod
(202) 225-3772
 

Ross, Lincoln, Pryor Announce Over $10 Million for South Arkansas Projects
 
(Washington, D.C.) Fourth District Rep. Mike Ross, along with U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, today announced the FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Bill contains $10,027,000 for Fourth District projects. 

“Senators Lincoln, Pryor, and I together worked hard to secure these projects that are critical to the economic future of the Fourth District,” said Ross. “This funding will strengthen our community safety, provide support for important agriculture research and development programs, and provide the resources necessary to continue construction of our roadways, which translates into jobs.” 

"Final approval of this spending package was long-overdue, and I’m pleased that Arkansas will now benefit from the many investments we’ve made in transportation and infrastructure needs, law enforcement technology, and downtown development projects," Lincoln said. "Every year Arkansas’ economy depends on the worthwhile resources in this bill for jobs and to spur economic development in our communities."

"This bill and the process in which we came by it, albeit not perfect, will translate into millions of dollars to improve our highways, transit systems, water safety programs and agriculture research and development," Pryor said. "These investments in our infrastructure are vital if we are to truly foster economic development and improve the quality of life in south Arkansas."
The FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Bill contained the following projects for the Fourth District. Funding for the projects is final, as the President has signed the bill into law: 

Agriculture Appropriations

· $5.199 million for the Delta Regional Authority. The Authority provides long-term coordination amount federal, state, and local entities committed to economic development in the Lower Mississippi Delta region. $1.75 million of the funds are contained in the Rural Community Advancement Program for grants, and the remaining $3.449 million is contained in the Rural Development Loan Fund Program to provide loans.

· $208,000 for the University of Arkansas of Pine Bluff for aquaculture research and education activities.  

· $458,000 for the Center for Integrated Forest Management Strategies - Monticello.

· $1.86 million to the Small Farms, South Central Family Farm Research Center, Booneville

· $2.687 million to the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Booneville, to expand cooperative research.

· $300,000 million to the National Water Management Center at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff .

· $1.029 million to the Aquaculture Fisheries Center at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.

· $300,000 to the Walnut Bayou Irrigation Project to continue work on a plan to provide water to cropland in Little River County.

· $2.75 million to the National Water Management Center at the  University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Commerce, Justice, State (CJS) Appropriations

· $250,000 for the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy - The Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy (ALETA) provides office space for both the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Highway Police.

· $50,000 for the Nevada County for Law Enforcement Technologies. - The Nevada County Rescue Unit coordinates all first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel.

Veterans Administration, Department of Urban Development (VA-HUD)

· $75,000 for the Camden Boys and Girls Club, to complete construction of ball fields, basketball courts, soccer fields, education rooms and karate and dance rooms.

Transportation Appropriations Bill

· $320,000 to the Southeast Arkansas Area Agencies on Aging. This funding is for buses and bus facilities.

· $4.75 million to the State of Arkansas for its transit needs. This project is to purchase new and replacement vans and buses for Arkansas’ small urban and rural transit systems. The funds will go toward the construction of maintenance facilities, and will supplement the procurement of vans and small buses for Arkansas’ 250 community service organizations serving the elderly and persons with disabilities. 

· $750,000 to the Interstate 69 Connector Project. This project is for the construction of a new location, four-lane, controlled access highway extending from Interstate 530 in Pine Bluff to Highway 278 in the vicinity of Wilmar and the proposed Interstate 69 Corridor. This project is approximately 39 miles.

· $850,000 to I-49 (Highway 71) - Louisiana State Line to DeQueen. This project is part of the relocation of Highway 71 as a new Interstate-type highway from Missouri to Louisiana, also knows as Interstate 49. Interstate 49 is part of the Congressionally Designated High Priority Corridor 1.
 
· $80,000 for the Hot Springs Bike Trail. Funding will be used for land acquisition, construction documents, trail and amenity installation.


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