Salazar works to provide $881,000 in funding for Alamosa water system and nursing facility

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 Alamosa’s municipal water system and $381,000 toward the Center for Nursing Excellence. Congressman Salazar fought for the inclusion of both projects in the omnibus appropriations bill which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today.

Alamosa municipal water system:

This appropriation will help repair and replace a portion of Alamosa’s oldest water lines. Specifically, it will help replace cast iron lines in the city’s center which date back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. 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:

 “This funding will help protect the drinking water quality for Alamosa residents and will reduce the burden of construction and maintenance costs for taxpayers,” said Congressman Salazar. “We must continue to invest in an infrastructure that will safeguard our water quality for future generations.”

For information on this project contact Don Koskelin, City of Alamosa Public Works Department, (719) 589-6631.

The Center for Nursing Excellence:         

This appropriation will help create a shared facility for health education that will provide clinical nursing laboratory space, classroom, and support space for use by Adams State College nursing students and faculty. It will also provide clinical nursing and EMS laboratory space, classroom, and support space for use by Trinidad State Junior College nursing and EMS students and faculty. In addition, it will provide for classroom and conference space for SLVRMC to utilize for training, orientation, continuing education, management meetings and other needs for its employees. Conference/education areas would be created to accommodate community educational events. The funding comes from a $381,000 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 health care that urban areas receive and I know that this funding will help the Council for Excellence in Health Careers Education in its goal of providing state-of-the-art nursing education and care,” said Congressman Salazar. “This funding will help create the Shared Facilities for Health Education to address the increasing nursing needs in the region. There’s no cause that’s more important than the health of our friends and families. I’m proud to have fought to bring these dollars to the San Luis Valley so that the region can continue to get the nursing care it deserves.”                                                    
 
For information on this program contact: Bill Mansheim, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Adams State College, (719) 587-7727.