Robert P. Casey Jr.

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Arlen Specter, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, and Bob Casey, the junior Senator from Pennsylvania, announced today the Senate has approved funding for several Pennsylvania interior and environment projects.  The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill.

“I am pleased my colleagues have recognized the importance of these Pennsylvania projects,” Senator Specter said.  “This funding will help Pennsylvania to improve and maintain important infrastructure programs, as well as enrich future generations by preserving Pennsylvania’s rich industrial, cultural and historical heritage.”                  

“This money is great news for Pennsylvania and I am thrilled that my colleagues approved funding for these projects throughout the Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey.  “I will continue working with Senator Specter to build critical infrastructure and to preserve important hallowed historical sites.”

The bill will now be sent back to the House for approval and must be signed into law by the President of the United States before funding is final.

Pennsylvania projects in the bill include:

*House Members that also supported a project are indicated in parentheses

-$4.92 million for Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County for land acquisition to build the memorial. (Bill Shuster)

-$1.499 million for the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia County to rehabilitate the physical structure of the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial and the Franklin Statue. (Robert Brady)

-$1.722 million for Highlands Conservation Act land easements in the Highlands region which consists of 3.5 million acres in east-central Pennsylvania, Northwestern Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. (Tim Holden, Charlie Dent, Allyson Schwartz, Jim Gerlach)

-$787,520 for Three Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Program in Allegheny County to fix municipal sewers, protect the region’s streams and augment the investment of local governments in compliance with the Clean Water Act. (Mike Doyle)

-$344,540 for Penn State through the Small Public Water System Technology Assistance Centers Program in Dauphin County to foster technology evaluation and training for operators, trainers, engineers, owners and managers of small water systems. 

-$295,320 for Greene County for the extension of sewage collection lines along S.R. 88 in Monongahela Township.

-$196,880 for Franklin Township in Adams County to make storm water improvements and to design and construct a sewer system to alleviate sewage disposal concerns. (Todd Platts)

-$196,880 for Borough of Cochranton in Crawford County for the installation of a public sewage treatment plant and infrastructure in the borough.

-$861,350 for Somerset County for County water and sewer projects, including those to address the increased demand for water in the county due to the construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial. (John Murtha)

-$98,440 for City of Scranton in Lackawanna County for the repair, upgrade, and replacement of waste water and storm water capital infrastructure elements in the city. (Paul Kanjorski)

-$98,440 for Borough of Bellefonte in Centre County for water infrastructure improvements.

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