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Fifth District Funding
A Note about “Earmarks:”
The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility of approving federal spending. The process of funding specific projects is commonly referred to as “earmarking.” Each year, Members of Congress have the opportunity to submit requests for funding of specific projects.
As the voice of Florida’s Fifth District, requesting funding gives me the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit the people and communities in my district. This year, I was able to help Citrus County obtain $1.5 million in funding to preserve environmentally sensitive land surrounding Three Sisters Springs, allowing for the further protection of the endangered manatee species.
It is my policy to make requests public and transparent. I require entities seeking funding to submit a formal project request to my office, which I use as the basis for the request to the Committee.
The Committee makes the final decision on which specific projects receive federal investment. While considering which projects to fund, the Committee is constrained by a set budget cap. Therefore, not all projects receive funding or full funding.
Without a request from a member of Congress, worthwhile Florida projects would not receive consideration and the limited funding available would be allocated elsewhere in the country. I am proud to request funding for important projects in the Fifth District. Please read thoroughly this year’s list of requests and feel free to contact my office with questions or concerns.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $1,500,000 for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife’s land acquisition program for the purchase of environmentally sensitive land surrounding Three Sisters Springs in Citrus County. This property abuts manatee protection areas and would place a large undeveloped tract of land in public ownership, allowing for the further protection of the endangered manatee species. The Conservation Fund is located at 2507 Calloway Road, Tallahassee, FL 32303.
Defense – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $3,000,000 for the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine’s Center for Learning Excellence, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. These funds will be used for the continued research into spinal cord injuries and their treatments as part of the Project Battlefield and Combat Related Spinal Cord Injury Research program. These funds would be used to study the battlefield injuries of returning veterans and active military members as well as non-military patients. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is located at 1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136.
Defense – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $2,000,000 for Saint Leo University’s distance education program (School of Continuing Education). These funds would be used to continue the tele-learning program and connect students around the nation and at military bases around the world to the Saint Leo distance education program. Saint Leo University is located at 33701 State Road 52, P.O. Box 6665, St. Leo, FL 33574.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $1,500,000 for Lake County to fund an 800 Mhz radio system and for equipment and technology for the Emergency Operations Center of Lake County. The offices of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners are located at 315 West Main St., P.O. Box 7800, Tavares, FL 32778.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $650,000 for Marion County to fund the purchase of technology that captures fingerprints required for FBI criminal background checks, through the rest of the patrol vehicles. The equipment and software will collect demographic data and fingerprint scans and submit both to the appropriate background check authority, which will, in turn, provide instant feedback. The request is in accordance with priorities established by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who has indicated a desire for all law enforcement agencies across the state to have consistency in the equipment used for fingerprinting. The offices of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners are located at 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471.
Labor, HHS and Education – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $600,000 for the Enrichment Centers of Hernando County to build a Community Center/Special Needs Disaster Shelter in Hernando County. The Enrichment Center offers a comprehensive program, which includes health education, recreation, and promotion of ongoing personal growth. The Center serves as the focal point for health information and community services in Hernando County. The cost of this project is being shared by the State of Florida, the Hernando Board of County Commissioners, and the City of Brooksville. The Enrichment Center is located at 11375 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, FL 34613.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies – Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $300,000 for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences Shellfish Aquaculture Development Program. These funds would be used to conduct multi-disciplinary research into struggling aquaculture programs throughout Florida. The Cedar Key Aquaculture Association is located at P.O. Box 89, Cedar Key, FL 32625.
Transportation/HUD – The City of Minneola is extending the City’s water and wastewater system to service the City’s northern service area along US 27 in Lake County. The project will extend the City’s utility service to areas that doe not currently have central utility service. The extension will eventually allow the Lake County Correctional Institution to connect to the City’s utility. The total cost for the water portion of this project is $618,015. The City of Minneola Administrative Offices are located at 800 N. US Hwy 27, Minneola, FL 34715.
Transportation/HUD - Oak Run Regional Reclaimed Water Project’s purpose is to reduce groundwater withdrawals for irrigation use. This project includes the construction of 12,500 feet of reclaimed water transmission main pipelines, a pump station, a 5 MG reclaimed water storage pond, instrumentation, controls and related infrastructure. The Oak Run Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant is within the southwest service area of Marion County. This project will provide reuse/reclaimed water in the State Road 200 corridor area of Marion County. The fresh water offset of this project is anticipated to be 375,000 gallons per day or 137 million gallons per year. Total cost is approximately $3,000,000. The Marion County County Administrator is located at 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471.
Transportation/HUD - The Marion County Silver Springs Pollution Abatement Program is focused on protecting Silver Springs, which is one of the largest artesian spring systems, by water flow, in the world. Due to pollution in the area, Nitrogen levels in this precious system have increased 400%. This project will protect the springs from further adverse impacts by implementing a septic tank abatement program. This program is intended to provide central sewer service to portions of the County near the springs where septic tanks are prevalent. Total cost is approximately $2,000,000. The Marion County County Administrator is located at 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471.
Transportation/HUD - Several of Lake County’s lakes require retrofits to address stormwater issues. Several basin studies have been completed in Lake County detailing these needs. The estimated cost to retrofit the affected basins and address water quantity and quality issues is $23,251,160. The Lake County Director of Public Works is located at Ardice Avenue, Eustis, Florida, 32726.
All WRDA projects require the non-federal partner/sponsor to provide matching funds for the project, as determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Rep. Brown-Waite has requested $2.2 million for the replacement of the Lakeshore Drive/Palatlakaha Bridge located over the Palatlakaha River at Lake Minnehaha. It is a reinforced concrete structure, 185 feet long in five spans, and constructed in 1962. The bridge is functionally obsolete with two 12 foot travel lanes and no walkways or bicycle facilities.
The replacement of the Lakeshore Drive/Palatlakaha Bridge will improve the safety of movement of goods. Additionally, it will enhance and create economic benefits in the terms of movement of goods and services on Lakeshore Drive by allowing improved access to US 27, which is a Strategic Intermodal System. The project will also enhance the evacuation routes in and out of the Central Florida Region.
The proposed replacement of this structure is a single-span concrete bridge 120 feet long, with two 12 foot travel lanes, a breakdown lane, a walkway and a bicycle lane. The offices of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners are located at 315 West Main St., P.O. Box 7800, Tavares, FL 32778.
Interior and Environment – The City of Brooksville has been working to rebuild its antiquated and frail water and wastewater transmission systems. These lines date back to the 1920s and are paramount to the community’s economic future. More importantly, the City of Brooksville needs to update this system to protect the community with adequate fire safety suppression capability and reduce the potential for groundwater pollutants.
This is an ongoing process and the City of Brooksville has already replaced 32,000 linear feet of pipe but still need assistance in addressing an additional 36,000 linear feet of pipe. Brooksville will begin construction of a water transmission loop this summer that will more than triple the fire flow capability in the City’s historic district. The $4,331,000 in funding for this project will go to replace aging water and wastewater transmission lines and improve the overall water transmission system. The offices of the City of Brooksville are located at 201 Howell Ave, Brooksville, FL 34601.
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