Salazar works to provide $738,000 in funding for Pueblo water and nursing programs

Congressman fights for funds in appropriations bill which cleared the House today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman John Salazar today voted to direct $500,000 of federal funding toward the rehabilitation of Pueblo’s Water Reclamation Facility and $238,000 toward the Southeastern Colorado Center for Nursing and Rural Health. Congressman Salazar fought for the inclusion of both projects in the omnibus appropriations bill which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today.  The bill now goes to the Senate.

Pueblo Water Reclamation Facility:

This appropriation will help repair and replace equipment at the Pueblo Water Reclamation Facility and will repair or replace aging sanitary sewers at various locations within the City of Pueblo.  The funding comes from a $500,000 appropriation which Congressman Salazar fought for in the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill. 

Congressman Salazar offered the following statement on the project:

“Water is an issue which has an impact on the environment, health and human safety, growth and economic development,” said Congressman Salazar. “This funding will help protect the water quality in the Arkansas River and will reduce the burden of construction and maintenance costs for taxpayers. Communities like Pueblo are experiencing trouble with infrastructure demands, especially wastewater treatment facilities. We must continue to invest in an infrastructure that will safeguard our water quality for future generations and continue to invest in projects that will create jobs for hard working Coloradoans.”

For information about the Pueblo Clean Water Infrastructure Initiative contact Pueblo Wastewater Department Director Gene Michael at (719) 553-2298.        

Southeastern Colorado Center for Nursing and Rural Health:   

This appropriation will help expand the CSU-Pueblo Nursing Program. Funding will be used to develop a more practical nursing laboratory in order to accommodate the recent increase in enrollment.  The funding will also help develop an online education program for improving the quality of care in Southeastern Colorado.  Specifically, it will include support and online coursework for the Master in Science with a Major in Nursing and an Emphasis in Nursing Education program. The funding comes from a $238,000 appropriation which Congressman Salazar fought for in the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill. 

Congressman Salazar offered the following statement on the project:

“Rural communities deserve the same quality of care that urban areas receive and I know that this funding will help the CSU-Pueblo nursing program continue to meet or exceed that standard,” said Congressman Salazar. “This funding will help grow the CSU-Pueblo nursing program so that it can address the increasing need for nurses in Southeastern Colorado. There isn’t a more important or noble cause. I’m proud to have fought to bring these dollars to Southeastern Colorado so that the region can continue to get the state-of-the-art nursing care it deserves.”                                                      
 
For information on this program contact: Dr. Mary Kontz- Associate Dean of Nursing, Colorado State University-Pueblo at (719) 549-2817.