[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E335-E336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2009

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards 
on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication 
in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of 
H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--
SRG.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of 
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, 
Michigan 48824.
  Description of Request: Provide $266,000 for Sustainable Agriculture: 
Expanding and Refining the Ecosystem Base (Sustainable Agriculture). 
The funding will be used for research to assist farmers on sustainable 
agriculture practices to help farmers manage their crops for excellent 
yields, while reducing fertilizer and pesticide use and stemming 
nutrient losses to ground and surface water. Approximately, $385,000 is 
for salaries of 11 researchers; $15,000 is for travel expenses; $10,000 
is for farmer stipends; $25,000 is for materials and supplies; and 
$65,000 is for communication and outreach. Michigan State University 
expects to leverage at least $150,000 in state, local, and private 
funds.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--
SRG.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of 
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, 
Michigan 48824.
  Description of Request: Provide $346,000 for Phytophthora Capsici 
research. The funding will be used for researching this fungal-like 
pathogen that lives in the soil and causes plants to rot. This funding 
will go towards salaries of researchers, laboratory and field 
equipment, travel expenses, and publication or results. This program 
receives other federal/state/local/industry funding.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--
SRG.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of 
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, 
Michigan 48824.
  Description of Request: Provide $346,000 for Controlling Fire Blight 
Disease of Apple Trees. The funding will be used for research to 
develop blight-resistant varieties and new, environmentally responsible 
control strategies to combat this disease. Approximately, $148,000 is 
for the salaries of laboratory and field research personnel and $36,000 
is for materials and supplies. Michigan State University (MSU) has 
obtained funding from the Michigan Apple Committee and industry sources 
and will continue to fund the fire blight research at MSU at a level of 
$52,500 in FY09.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--
SRG.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University College of 
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 102 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, 
Michigan 48824.
  Description of Request: Provide $147,000 for Improving the 
Sustainable Production of Specialty Crops (Improved Fruit Practices). 
The funding will be used for research to assist growers in producing 
high quality fruit, dry beans, and sugar beets with environmentally 
sound, safe, and effective pest control methods and management 
approaches. Approximately, $131,440 is for salaries and expenses and 
the remainder is for lab maintenance and equipment. In addition to the 
federal funds provided by this grant, this research is supported by 
personnel, equipment, and facilities funded by the Michigan 
agricultural Experiment Station and Michigan State University 
Extension.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Natural Resources Conservation--Conservation Operations.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Great Lakes Commission.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2805 S. Industrial Hwy, Suite 100, Ann 
Arbor, MI 48104-6791.
  Description of Request: Provide $404,000 for the Great Lakes Basin 
Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. This funding will 
protect and improve Great Lakes water quality by controlling erosion 
and sedimentation; limiting the input of associated nutrients and toxic 
contaminants; and minimizing off-site sources of damage to harbors, 
streams, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational facilities and the 
Basin's system of public works.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Office of Justice Programs--Juvenile Justice.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Our Community's Children.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 
49503.
  Description of Request: Provide $500,000 for extending the length of 
summer after-school programming and expand after-school programs that 
serve high school youth.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Corps of Engineers--Investigations.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes 
and Ohio River Division.

[[Page E336]]

  Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, 
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.
  Description of Request: Provide $1,195,000 for the Great Lakes 
Remedial Action Plans to help states and local communities plan and 
implement contaminated sediment remediation projects in Great Lakes 
Areas of Concern.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes 
and Ohio River Division.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, 
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.
  Description of Request: Provide funding for the Electric Dispersal 
Barrier on the Chicago Ship & Sanitary Canal. This barrier is intended 
to keep aquatic invasive species from entering into the Great Lakes 
from the canal. This request received two line items: $5,750,000 for 
the first dispersal harrier and $500,000 for the second harrier.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes 
and Ohio River Division.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, 
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.
  Description of Request: Provide $2,157,000 for the Great Lakes 
Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration program. The Great Lakes sustain a 
nationally and internationally significant fishery that has been 
degraded by habitat losses, contamination, and invasive species. Under 
this program, the Corps will coordinate with other federal, state, and 
local agencies and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to plan, 
implement, and evaluate projects supporting the restoration of the 
fishery, ecosystem, and beneficial uses of the Great Lakes. This 
program is an important component of the Great Lakes Regional 
Collaboration Strategy.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Dept of Energy--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Grand Rapids.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Ave., NW., Grand Rapids, MI 
49503.
  Description of Request: Provide $142,725 for installation of a green 
roof. The roof will be installed on the City Building and demonstrate 
to a wide audience the energy savings and best practices for 
maintenance.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health 
Facilities and Services.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Michigan St., NE., Grand Rapids, MI 
49503.
  Description of Request: Provide $190,000 for the Pediatric 
Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic and Pediatric 
Infusion Center. Approximately 80 percent of the funds will he used for 
purchasing equipment and 20 percent for technology information 
services.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health 
Facilities and Services.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Metro Health.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 5900 Byron Center Ave., SW., Wyoming, 
MI 49519.
  Description of Request: Provide $95,000 for an electronic medical 
records initiative.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Health Resources and Services Administration--Health 
Facilities and Services.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Pine Rest Christian Mental Health 
Services.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 68th Street SE; PO BOX 165, Grand 
Rapids, MI 49501.
  Description of Request: Provide $285,000 for an electronic medical 
records initiative. Approximately, 33 percent of the funding will be 
used to purchase servers and a storage device for data system; 33 
percent will be used to purchase software; and 33 percent will be used 
for redundant data lines.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Environmental Protection Agency--STAG Water and Wastewater 
Infrastructure Projects.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Monroe Avenue NW., Grand Rapids, 
Michigan 49503.
  Description of Request: Provide $500,000 for the City of Grand 
Rapids, Michigan, East Side Combined Sewer Overflow Separation 
Improvements. The City of Grand Rapids has invested $200 million to 
separate combined sewers over the last decade.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Buses and Bus Facilities.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Belding, Dial-a-Ride.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Depot Street, Belding, MI 48809.
  Description of Request: Provide $99,560 for the City of Belding's 
Dial-a-Ride. This funding will help the Dial-a-Ride acquire a new 
heating and cooling system for the Pere Marquette Depot, where their 
dispatch center is located. It will also help fund exterior lights and 
a fire suppression system at their garage. There is a 20 percent local 
share from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Buses and Bus Facilities.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Ionia, Dial-a-Ride.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 251 East Adams Street, Ionia, Michigan, 
48846.
  Description of Request: Provide $216,000 for the City of Ionia's 
Dial-a-Ride. This funding will help the Dial-a-Ride replace two 
vehicles at a cost of $128,000, in addition to enhancing the Technology 
and Interconnectivity between the Dial-a-Ride facility and Ionia City 
Government offices by utilizing fiber optic technology. The remainder 
of the funding will go towards this technology improvement. There is a 
20 percent local share from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Transportation--Capital Investment Grants.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Rapid.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Ellsworth Avenue, Grand Rapids, 
Michigan, 49503
  Description of Request: Provide $600,000 for The Rapid's South 
Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project. Funding will be used for the 
preliminary design, engineering and environmental work for the 
development of the BRT project. There is a 20 percent state/local 
match.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Transportation--Rail Line Relocation and Improvement 
Program.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan Department of 
Transportation.
  Address of Requesting Entity: Grand Region Office, 1420 Front Avenue, 
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49504.
  Description of Request: Provide $3,800,000 for the construction of a 
rail spur, switch, and station for relocating the Amtrak rail line and 
station into the Rapid Central Station, the main public transportation 
hub in Grand Rapids. This project has a 10 percent local/state match.
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105.
  Account: Economic Development Initiatives.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kent County Convention Arena 
Authority.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 303 Monroe Avenue, NW., Grand Rapids, 
Michigan, 49503.
  Description of Request: Provide $142,500 for the planning, design and 
construction of an outdoor amphitheater and support facilities at 
Millennium Park.

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