[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E324-E326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. CONAWAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2009

  Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for 
publication in the Congressional Record regarding Member requested 
funding that was included as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus 
Appropriations Act of 2009.

[[Page E325]]

  In the Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources--Rural 
Water account, $109,000 for improvements to an irrigation canal in Tom 
Green County, Texas was included on my behalf. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is the Tom Green County Water Control 
Improvement District No. 1, which operates and maintains the canal and 
can be reached at P.O. Box 488, Veribest, Texas, 76886. The canal is 16 
miles long and runs northeast from the city of San Angelo, Texas. The 
funding will be used to complete repairs and upgrade the canals water 
control systems to help better distribute and conserve water, as 
recommended in a 2007 report by the Bureau of Reclamation.
  In the Army Corps of Engineers, Investigations account, $406,000 for 
a study in the Lower Colorado River Basin of Texas was included on my 
behalf. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Lower 
Colorado River Authority which can be reached at P.O. Box 220, Austin, 
Texas, 78767. The study area is bounded by the Guadalupe, Lavaca, and 
Colorado-Lavaca river basins on the west, and the Brazos and Brazos-
Colorado basins on the east. This study is investigating water resource 
problems, needs, and opportunities, to determine whether improvements 
for flood risk management, ecosystem restoration and protection, water 
quality, water supply and allied purposes have a Federal interest. The 
funding will be used to complete the Williamson Creek study and 
continue other interim feasibility studies within the basin.
  In the Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance account, 
$842,000 for the O. C. Fisher Dam and Lake, Texas was included on my 
behalf The entity to receive funding for this project is Army Corps of 
Engineers Fort Worth District. The project is located in Tom Green 
County, on the North Concho River, near the City of San Angelo, Texas. 
The funding will be used to for operations and routine maintenance.
  In the Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance account, 
$2,000,000 for Proctor Lake, Texas was included on my behalf. The 
entity to receive funding for this project is Army Corps of Engineers 
Fort Worth District. The project is located in Comanche County on the 
Leon River, about eight miles northeast of the city of Comanche, Texas. 
The funding will be used to for operations, routine maintenance, and to 
replace and repair piezometers.
  In the Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance account, 
$1,373,000 for Hords Creek Lake, Texas was included on my behalf. The 
entity to receive funding for this project is Army Corps of Engineers 
Fort Worth District. The project is located in Coleman County about 13 
miles west of the city of Coleman, Texas. The funding will be used to 
for operations, routine maintenance, and to upgrade hydraulic pumps and 
controls for flood gates.
  In the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES) account funding in the amount of $206,000 for Animal Fiber 
Research. The entity to receive funding for this project is Texas A&M 
University. The project is located at 7887, U.S. Highway 87N, San 
Angelo, Texas, 76901. The funding will be used to increase 
profitability of the sheep and goat industries in the United States and 
Texas while providing U.S. consumers and the military with high-quality 
animal fibers and meat at internationally competitive prices. Emphasis 
will be placed on improving wool quality and increasing wool production 
and also on multi-state collaborations in which sheep and goats will be 
used to improve rangeland environments through prescribed grazing of 
invasive species.
  In the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES), Special Research Grants account funding in the amount of 
$946,000 for the Center for Food Industry Excellence. The entity to 
receive funding for this project is Texas Tech University, located in 
Lubbock, Texas. The funding will be used to conduct systematic 
development and evaluation of production, processing, and preparation 
methods of food products (from farm to table) to achieve a safer and 
more nutritious food supply.
  In the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES) account, to provide partial funding in the amount of $693,000 
for Center for North American Studies. Funding for this project will go 
directly to Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. This 
funding will assist in the continued development of the center. The 
focus is to further expand activities in education and training, 
research policy analysis, and cooperative study as related to trade 
issues.
  In the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES), Special Research Grants account, funding in the amount of 
$1,730,000 for the International Cotton Center. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock, 
Texas. The funding will be used to support several research projects 
investigating means of increasing the profitability and sustainability 
of cotton and other natural fiber production through the development of 
new uses for cotton fiber among others.
  In the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES) account, funding in the amount of $3,220,000 for the Efficient 
Irrigation program (both research and extension arms). The entity to 
receive funding for this project is Texas A&M University. The funding 
will be used to provide resources for research, training, education, 
and technical assistance to agricultural and municipal water system 
operators, teaching them about irrigation system efficiency and about 
reducing biological and chemical hazards through alternative treatment 
of water and wastewater.

  In the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) account, to provide partial 
funding in the amount of $515,000 for the Great Plains Sorghum 
Improvement and Utilization Center. Funding for this project will go 
directly to Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas. This funding will be 
used to continue to integrate the efforts among the three institutions 
to develop a series of multi-institutional and multidisciplinary teams 
that bring together new technologies and knowledge that focus on 
improvement of profitability in each stage of sorghum production, 
processing and marketing.
  In the Department of Education, Higher Education account, to provide 
funding in the amount of $285,000 for Midland College in Midland, TX 
for technology upgrades, including purchase of equipment. The funding 
would be used to for the purchase of new computers, specialized 
software and multi-media projector equipment as part of the ongoing 
technology upgrade program. The Advanced Technology Center (ATC), 
operated by Midland College, offers a wide range of programs that are 
used by students from elementary schools, high schools and colleges 
seeking to learn computer and other technical skills, by workers 
upgrading their skills to retain their jobs or get new ones, by 
businesses who are training employees, and by individuals.
  In the Department of Education, Higher Education account, to provide 
funding in the amount of $95,000 for the Midland Independent School 
District, located at 615 W. Missouri Ave., Midland, TX for a teacher 
training initiative in conjunction with Texas Mathworks. Texas 
Mathworks is a center for mathematics education formed by Texas State 
University System to develop model programs and self-sustaining 
learning communities that engage Texas K-12 students in doing 
mathematics at a high level. Texas Mathworks proves to be an effective 
model for engaging and retaining students' interest in math and 
science, enabling teachers to effectively teach it at the highest 
levels.
  In the Department of Education, Elementary & Secondary Education 
(includes FIE) account, to provide funding in the amount of $143,000 
for the Wallace Accelerated High School, located at 149 S. Hwy 208, 
Colorado City, TX, for a charter campus for at-risk students in grades 
8-12, including purchase of equipment. The funding will be to support a 
charter campus for at-risk students in grades 8-12. The campus not only 
assists students with their educational needs but also in realizing the 
importance in being a productive citizen within the community and 
country.
  In the Department of Justice, DJP-Byrne Discretionary Grants account, 
to provide funding in the amount of $1,200,000 for the Texas State 
University Train-the-Trainer (ALERRT) program. The entity to receive 
funding for this project is the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response 
Training (ALERRT) Program at Texas State University-San Marcos, located 
at 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas. Funding will be used to 
support the ALERRT program, which was established by Texas State 
University, to provide first responders with the tactics they will need 
to effectively respond to active shooter situations.
  Project funding for the construction of on/off ramps of I-20 for 
Garfield and Cotton Flat Road in Midland, TX in the amount of $380,000. 
The funding will be appropriated from the Interstate Maintenance 
Discretionary account to the Texas Department of Transportation, 125 
East 11th St., Austin, TX 78701. The project is included in the I-20 
Corridor Master plan and the Statewide Transportation Improvement 
Program.
  Project funding in the amount of $475,000 to widen the 45 mile 
section of SH-349 in Martin and Dawson County by two additional lanes 
as a portion of Trade Corridor 56 designated and funded (1.6 mil) by 
SAFETEA-LU as a high priority trade corridor. The funding will be 
appropriated from the Transportation, Community and System Preservation 
account to the Texas Department of Transportation, 125 East 11th St., 
Austin, TX 78701. This section of SH-349 is a part of the Ports to 
Plains Corridor, two National High Priority Corridors and the Texas 
Trunk System.
  Project funding in the amount of $190,000 for the Economic 
Development Initiative that will include streetscaping, environmental 
remediation, infrastructure improvements and demolition of dilapidated 
buildings of downtown

[[Page E326]]

Midland, TX. The funding will be appropriated from the Economic 
Development Initiatives account to the City of Midland, City Hall, 300 
N. Loraine, Midland, TX 79701.
  Project funding in the amount of $142,500 for an Economic Development 
Initiative that will include enhancing an economically depressed area 
along the North Concho River through downtown San Angelo. The funding 
will be appropriated from the Economic Development Initiatives account 
to the City of San Angelo, City Hall, 72 W. College Ave, San Angelo, TX 
76903. The City has contributed over $6 million for the project and 
continues to contribute through a \1/2\ cent sales tax. The initiative 
includes improving accessibility multi-use pathways, connecting 
commercial and residential areas and improving river access, lighting, 
landscaping and other public spaces along the Concho River and downtown 
San Angelo.
  Project funding in the amount of $237,500 for construction of a 
multi-modal terminal that will house customer service centers, 
administrative offices and development space for the Concho Valley 
Transit District. The funding will be appropriated from the Buses and 
Bus Facilities account to The Texas Department of Transportation, 125 
East 11th St., Austin, TX 78701. The Texas Department of Transportation 
has awarded a multi-year $1.5 million grant to support future 
development and the project received $250,000 in FY08. This project has 
been authorized by SAFETEA-LU.
  Project funding in the amount of $190,000 for preliminary 
engineering, and construction of a transit authority administration 
facility to manage 8,500 square miles of regional public transit 
system. The funding will be appropriated from the Buses and Bus 
Facilities account to The Texas Department of Transportation, 125 East 
11th St., Austin, TX 78701.

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