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| Wilson Seeks Funding for Open Lands, Critical Infrastructure and Job Training |
April 16, 2002 |
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Washington, DC - Congresswoman Heather Wilson has submitted a letter to James Walsh, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations to request funding for key programs in New Mexico.
“Albuquerque, along with its surrounding communities, is one of the fastest-growing areas in the Southwest and our need for clean water and public spaces is growing as well,” said Wilson. “This funding will help bring some much-needed projects to fruition; projects that are necessary to maintain the quality of life we enjoy as New Mexicans.”
$1.75 million for the transformation of Price’s Dairy to a public open space area for local residents. Transforming this dairy would protect the habitat for migratory waterfowl that fly north and south along the Rio Grande. Located five miles south of downtown Albuquerque, the dairy is easily accessible to approximately one-third of the state`s residents (600,000). Albuquerque, is one of the fastest growing communities in the southwest, and the loss of the Rio Grande Valley farmland means a loss of New Mexico unique history and culture.
$20 million for the South and North Valley water and wastewater improvement project in Bernalillo County. This project will protect groundwater resources and provide a safe water drinking supply for these two areas. Three sewer projects are designed and the water system is in the beginning conceptual design.
$34 million for the City of Albuquerque Double Eagle II Airport. The project facilitates the location of Eclipse Aviation and provides for needed expansion of the facilities at the airport. The project will provide a positive impact for the City and the State through the creation of technology jobs, new commercial activity and the spillover benefits of related jobs and tax revenues from support companies for Eclipse and the general aviation industry. Eclipse anticipates hiring an additional 1800 employees by the year 2007 with a payroll base of $110,000,000, and an estimated 1000 additional jobs through support companies.
$1.8 million for Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility Improvements in the Town of Bernalillo. The town must comply with new effluent limitations for discharges from the wastewater treatment plant. In order to meet the proposed effluent ammonia limitations, a supplemental aeration basin is required to provide the necessary detention time to remove ammonia down to the proposed effluent limits. In addition to meeting proposed effluent limitations, the Town must complete improvements at the wastewater treatment plant to meet the federal sewage sludge regulations as well as meet the growing needs of the community.
$2.3 million for a new interceptor and lift station for the Village of Los Lunas. Los Lunas is one of the fastest growing communities in the State. The rapid growth the Village has experienced over the past two decades is expected to grow, and the population is expected to double over the next 20 years. The sewer lines located in the downtown area of the community are the main collection lines for the Village. They currently handle the majority of the wastewater flows from the downtown area of town, as well as the heavily developing area of the community to the west of downtown. The sewer lines serving these communities are severely overloaded. A new interceptor line must be constructed to divert flows from the existing overloaded lines
$500,000 for the Barelas Community Development Corporation (BCDC) Development 2000 Plan. The Barelas Development 2000 plan is divided into two major economic development initiatives: Housing Revitalization Development and the Commercial Revitalization Development both areas will stimulate an economic development surge for this area. The Barelas Development 2000 initiative would create jobs and enhance the quality of life through the implementation of five major construction development components: housing rehabilitation, new housing, commercial/small business, property management, and a Barelas land bank.
$500,000 to activate a fiber optic network at the Sandia Science and Technology Park. This state-of-the-art communications system will extend to high tech companies within the Park and also serve as a point-of-presence and gateway facility for broadband connectivity throughout New Mexico’s research corridor and beyond. Funding is for acquisition, installation and operation of fiber optic equipment to establish a data and telecommunications hub, or Point of Presence (POP) at the Sandia Science and Technology Park.
$82.5 million for the American Indian Chamber of Commerce’s Access to Business & Commerce (ABC) Project. ABC is a training and mentorship project aimed at developing the business administration, marketing, planning, organizational, skills of native Americans for developing private enterprise and commercial opportunities. The Project also promotes American Indian access to public and private non-Indian business and commercial sectors through instructional workshops, awareness programs, and other networking venues with the public and private sectors.
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