[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 25, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E380-E383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2009

  Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information 
regarding funding that I requested as part of the FY 2009 Omnibus.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Community 
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology Grants
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Jefferson County Sheriff's 
Department
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2200 8th Ave North, Birmingham, AL 
35203
  Description of Request: Provide $200,000 to continue the Records 
Management Systems upgrade for the Jefferson County Sheriff's 
Department. The upgrade will update equipment in patrol cars so that 
they have the ability to remotely access criminal and vice databases, 
quickly check criminal records and outstanding warrants and submit 
reports from remote locations. The project's total budget is $500,000. 
Specifically within the budget, $250,000 will go toward the final 
completion of Records Managements System (RMS) and JMS system which 
includes the purchase of remaining software licenses as needed and 
training on the new system, $100,000 toward criminal and vice case 
management software modules, and $150,000 toward remaining Mobile Data 
Terminal (MDT) units for patrol cars. This request is consistent with 
the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Justice, 
Office of Justice Programs, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) 
Technology Grants account. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department 
will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for match funding where 
applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Community 
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Law Enforcement Technology Upgrades
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Leeds
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3873 First Ave, Leeds, AL 35094
  Description of Request: Provide $100,000 to update the communication 
technology within the police department in Leeds, Alabama. The

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funding will go toward the acquisition of the Computer-Aided Dispatch 
(CAD) and electronic Records Management Systems (RMS) software; 
installation, management and training necessary to start the program; 
and 1-year support for CAD, Application Management System (AMS), and 
Dispatch Map Interface as well as RMS fees and licenses. The project's 
total budget is $102,516. Specifically within the budget, $49,800 for 
CAD software, $21,232 for RMS software, $11,226 for CAD installation, 
training and management, $7,108 for RMS installation, training and 
management, $9,450 for CAD 1-year support, and $3,700 for RMS 1-year 
support. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized 
purpose of the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 
Community Oriented Policing Services Law Enforcement Technology 
Upgrades account. The City of Leeds will meet or exceed all statutory 
requirements for matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Byrne 
Discretionary Funds
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Jefferson County Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd North, 
Suite 220, Birmingham AL 35203
  Description of Request: Provide $300,000 for communication equipment 
for the Combined E-911 Communications Center to be constructed in 
Jefferson County. The Combined E-911 Communications Center will be a 
shared facility housing both 9-1-1/dispatch and emergency management 
operations and will provide both functions with state of the art 
communications equipment and infrastructures, as well as improve the 
opportunities for inter-jurisdictional cooperation and coordination. 
The Jefferson County Combined E-911 Communications Center will serve 
over 16 municipalities throughout Jefferson County with others joining 
once the center is operational. The Center will handle over 2.5 million 
emergency and non-emergency calls annually by a combined staff of 250 
emergency communications and emergency management personnel located in 
the same facility. The provided funding will go toward the purchase of 
communication equipment. The project's total budget is $23.45 million. 
Specifically within the budget, $750,000 for land acquisition provided 
by the county, $2.45 million for design and engineering costs, $12.25 
million for construction of the center, and $8.0 million for 
communications equipment and training. This request is consistent with 
the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Justice, 
Office of Justice Programs, Byrne Discretionary Funds account. The 
Jefferson County Commission will meet or exceed all statutory 
requirements for matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Byrne 
Discretionary Grants
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Jefferson State Community College
  Address of Requesting Entity: 4600 Valleydale Road, Birmingham, AL 
35242
  Description of Request: Provide $100,000 for campus safety 
improvements to all five campuses within the Jefferson State Community 
College system. The funding will go toward a video surveillance network 
coupled with a central monitoring station that is staffed 24 hours a 
day, seven days a week. The project's total budget is $500,000. 
Specifically within the budget, $250,000 will go toward equipment and 
the other $250,000 is for personnel and consulting for the monitoring 
and surveillance system. This request is consistent with the intended 
and authorized purpose of the Department of Justice, Office of Justice 
Programs, Byrne Discretionary Funds account. Jefferson State Community 
College will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for match 
funding where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), State and Tribal 
Grant Program (STAG) Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: St. Clair County Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 165 5th Ave, Suite 100, Asheville, AL 
35953
  Description of Request: Provide $224,000 to extend water service to 
an area of St. Clair County known as Baker Mountain Road. The project's 
total budget is $406,200. Specifically within the budget, $348,000 will 
go toward equipment and construction, $28,600 for engineering, and 
$29,600 would go toward observation, permits, surveying, and other 
fees. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized 
purpose of the Environmental Protection Agency, STAG Water and 
Wastewater Infrastructure Project account. The St. Clair County 
Commission will meet or exceed the 45% non-federal requirements for 
matching funds.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction General Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alabama State Port Authority
  Address of Requesting Entity: 250 North Water Street, Suite 300, 
Mobile, AL 36602
  Description of Request: Provide $4.785 million to construct the 
Mobile Harbor Turning Basin project. The total project cost estimate 
stands at $21,400,000. Approximately, $10,000 [or .0004%] is for land; 
$25,000 [or .0011%] for aids to navigation; $25,000 [or .0011%] for 
removal of existing concrete debris; $850,000 [or .0397%] for 
mobilization, preparation and demobilization of a 26 CY Bucket Dredge; 
$900,000 [or .0420%] for mobilization, preparation and demobilization 
of a 30 inch Pipeline Dredge; $14,437,000 [or .67%] for the removal of 
and placement in designated dredge disposal areas approx. 2,699,232 
cubic yards of dredged material; $1,140,000 [or .0532%] of planning, 
engineering and design work; $520,000 [or .0242%] for construction 
management; $2,690,000 [or .1257%] in project construction contingency; 
and $820,000 [or .0383%] in project escalation. The Army Corps of 
Engineers The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted an Environmental 
Assessment in accordance with Engineer Regulation (ER) 200-2-2, 
Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Pts. 1500-1508) resulting in 
a FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI). Construction of the 
authorized turning basin has been evaluated by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers through the Corps General Reevaluation Report (GRR) to 
alleviate harbor delays and improve safety conditions, and reflects a 
benefit-to-cost ratio of 3.46 to 1. This project is permitted. This 
request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers General Construction account and is intended 
and authorized by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 
1986 (PL 99-662 Ninety-ninth Congress, Second Session). This is the 
last year funding will be needed to complete the construction of the 
Mobile Harbor Turning Basin. The Alabama State Port Authority is the 
federally designated local sponsor for the Port of Mobile Harbor and 
will provide the 25% cost share for the Mobile Harbor Turning Basin 
project. The Alabama State Port Authority's 25% cost share funding is 
secured.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Construction
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: US Fish and Wildlife Service
  Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 5087, Fort McClellan, AL 36205.
  Description of Request: Provide $300,000 to fund construction of a 
new visitors' center in the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. The 
funding will go toward site selection, soil testing, engineering, 
architectural plans, and environmental site assessment. This project's 
budget is $1.3 million and will be used to construct an L-shaped 
building with 7700 square feet including about 8 office spaces 
approximately 12'x13', a 14 person conference room, a 1000 sq foot 
auditorium, an exhibit hall, and various utility rooms. This request is 
consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Construction.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Small Business Administration
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The University of Alabama
  Address of Requesting Entity: 201 Rose Administration Building, Box 
870117, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0117
  Description of Request: Provide $100,000 to help establish 
entrepreneurial research centers in nine additional rural Alabama 
counties and to augment the resources of existing centers through the 
Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network (AERN). The total project 
budget is $675,000. The AERN provides an entrepreneurial toolkit that 
includes computers and peripheral equipment, business software, and 
other business research resources. Chambers of commerce, industrial 
development agencies, or other nonprofit organizations, whose mission 
includes business development in very rural, low income portions of 
Alabama, house the centers. These resources allow persons and local 
agencies to develop and expand businesses. This project will expand the 
network to additional counties and will upgrade and enhance the 
resources available to the existing partners. The AERN vision

[[Page E382]]

is to create a decentralized technology and resources network and bring 
cutting edge entrepreneurial computing tools and training directly to 
underserved, low income, rural communities in Alabama. Within the first 
year of the project, $120,000 is for staff salaries, $30,000 is for 
benefits, and $200,000 is for supplies and services. In the second and 
third years of the project, $120,000 is for staff salaries, $30,000 is 
for benefits, and $175,000 is for supplies and services. This request 
is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Small 
Business Administration. The University of Alabama will meet or exceed 
all statutory requirements for matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, Health Facilities and Services Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Town of Harpersville
  Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 370, Harpersville, AL 35078
  Description of Request: Provide $190,000 for the construction of a 
community and senior center in Harpersville, AL. This project's total 
budget is $200,000. Specifically within the budget, $50,000 will go 
toward Engineering and Design, $25,000 toward the Environmental 
Assessment, $30,000 toward Site Preparation, $75,000 toward 
Construction, and $20,000 toward Geotechnical Investigations. This 
request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the 
Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services 
Administration, Health Facilities and Services Account. The Town of 
Harpersville will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for 
matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Education, Elementary & Secondary Education 
Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mitchell's Place, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 4778 Overton Road, Birmingham, AL 35210
  Description of Request: Provide $250,000 to support expansion of the 
Mitchell's Place program. Mitchell's Place is a comprehensive center 
for children with autism. The Early Learning Program at Mitchell's 
Place is for children between the ages of two to six. The staff at 
Mitchell's Place consists of four Masters Level lead teachers, one 
Educational Director and nine special education graduate assistants. 
The student teacher ratio is 3 to 1 which gives each child the 
opportunity to learn and grow so they will be ready to start 
kindergarten. Each child also receives Speech Therapy and Occupational 
Therapy as part of the program. This funding will enable Mitchell's 
Place to expand the program and bring in more of the 35 children we 
currently have waiting to enter our program. This request is consistent 
with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of 
Education, Elementary & Secondary Education Account. Mitchell's Place 
will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for matching funds where 
applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development 
Initiatives Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alabama Historic Ironworks 
Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 12632 Confederate Parkway, McCalla, AL 
35111
  Description of Request: Provide $142,500 to construct a welcome 
center at the Brierfield Ironworks State Park. Currently the park has 
no visitors/welcome center where information can be easily disseminated 
to visitors. At present that function is being done in the country 
store, a site that is not really suited to welcoming area visitors in a 
historical and educational setting. This proposed educational visitors/
welcome center will house a reception area, a display area telling the 
story of the ironworks and its relationship with the community during 
the mid and late 19th century, restroom facilities and a park office. 
The center will be located near the primary entrance to the park so 
that all visitors will be able to readily take advantage of the area 
upon their arrival at the park. The budget for the project is $295,000. 
Specifically within the budget, $20,000 will go toward site 
preparation, $10,000 toward the design and plans, and $265,000 toward 
building construction. This request is consistent with the intended and 
authorized purpose of the Housing and Urban Development, Economic 
Development Initiatives Account. The Alabama Historic Ironworks 
Commission will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for matching 
funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Transportation, Buses and Bus Facilities 
Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit 
Authority
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1535 Morris Avenue, Birmingham, AL 
35202
  Description of Request: Provide $1,425,000 to acquire new and 
replacement buses and vans to expand service for the Birmingham-
Jefferson County Transit Authority. This project's total budget is 
$33,800,000, which includes the acquisition of 100 replacement buses 
and 30 paratransit vans. This project will provide more reliable 
transit services in the Birmingham metropolitan area, including 
expanded service in the city center and urban core. This request will 
also assist with the on-going need to replace buses for the BJCTA Fleet 
Replacement Plan. This request is consistent with the intended and 
authorized purpose of the Department of Transportation, Buses and Bus 
Facilities Account. The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority 
will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for matching funds where 
applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development 
Initiatives Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Clay
  Address of Requesting Entity: 6757 Old Springville Road, Pinson, AL 
35126
  Description of Request: Provide $118,750 for necessary amenities for 
Cosby Lake Park. The City of Clay recently purchased Cosby Lake in the 
City for use as a public park. Walking trails, lighting, landscaping, a 
pavilion, parking and other amenities are necessary to make it useful 
for the public. The budget for the project is $150,000, all of which 
will go towards engineering and development. This request is consistent 
with the intended and authorized purpose of the Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, Economic Development Initiatives Account. The 
City of Clay will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for 
matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development 
Initiatives Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Northport
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3500 McFarland Blvd., P.O. Box 569, 
Northport, AL 35476
  Description of Request: Provide $95,000 to help revitalize downtown 
Northport. The purpose of this project is to upgrade existing 
infrastructure and install new infrastructure to support and encourage 
economic development and housing in downtown Northport. Infrastructure 
improvements may include but are not limited to: sewer, water, street 
improvements, drainage, pedestrian access and parking. The total budget 
for the project is $2,516,000. Specifically within the budget, 
$1,716,032 will go toward general construction and supplies, $163,000 
toward engineering design, $129,000 toward construction engineering and 
inspection, $257,400 toward contingencies, and $250,000 toward moving 
overhead power to underground. This request is consistent with the 
intended and authorized purpose of the Housing and Urban Development, 
Economic Development Initiatives Account. The City of Northport will 
meet or exceed all statutory requirements for matching funds where 
applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Federal Highway Administration, Transportation & Community & 
System Preservation Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: St. Clair County Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 165 5th Avenue, Suite 100 Ashville, AL 
35953
  Description of Request: Provide $475,000 for construction of an 
access road to the Pell City Medical Campus. When completed, this road 
will provide access to a medical and educational campus that will 
become an economic catalyst for the region and will provide improved 
health care for constituents of St. Clair County and surrounding areas. 
This roadway will also create a connector road from Highway 231 to Wolf 
Creek Road. This new road will help alleviate congestion on Highway 231 
and allow more access to the underdeveloped Wolf Creek Road. The 
project's total budget is $795,000. Specifically within the budget, 
$430,000 will go toward grading, draining, and basing, $292,000 toward 
paving, striping, and traffic control markers, and $73,000 toward 
engineering and inspection. This request is consistent with the 
intended and authorized purpose of the Federal Highway Administration, 
Transportation & Community & System Preservation Account. The St. Clair 
County Commission will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for 
matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus

[[Page E383]]

  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development 
Initiatives Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Shelby County Arts Council
  Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 624, Columbiana, AL 35051
  Description of Request: Provide $95,000 to develop architectural 
plans for the construction of a performing arts facility in Columbiana, 
AL. The proposed 25,000-square-foot Arts Center will be a community 
arts education and performance facility. It will be located on 
approximately one acre of a seven-acre site on the corner of West 
College Street and Mill Street just one block from the revitalized 
downtown main street of Columbiana. This Center will provide multiple 
spaces for performance, education and exhibits and both indoor and 
outdoor gathering and event venues. These spaces will be open to the 
public as well as available for private income earning events for the 
Arts Center. The funding will be used to pay architectural fees 
associated with drawings for a new performing arts and education center 
located in Columbiana, Alabama. This request is consistent with the 
intended and authorized purpose of the Housing and Urban Development, 
Economic Development Initiatives Account. The Shelby County Arts 
Council will meet or exceed all statutory requirements for matching 
funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Community 
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology Grants
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Calera
  Address of Requesting Entity: 10947 Highway 25, Calera, Alabama 35040
  Description of Request: Provide $200,000 for technology upgrades, 
improvements and add-ons for the Calera Police Department. As the 
population of Calera continues to grow, these technological advances 
will aid in providing more effective police protection. The department 
will be able to better utilize its officers in the field, reduce error 
in reporting, verify information in a more timely fashion, identify 
misbehavior by officers and citizens, and become as well equipped as 
other police forces around the nation who cover similar sized 
jurisdictions. The project's total budget is $499,600. Specifically 
within the budget, $162,000 will go toward Tough Book in-car MDTs, 
$16,200 toward in-car computer mounts, $13,500 toward e-ticket stripe 
readers, $10,800 toward thermal mobile printers, $4,500 toward printer 
mounts, $30,000 toward radio comm voter towers, $30,000 toward wireless 
radio voter transmitters, $162,000 toward in-car digital video cameras, 
$21,600 officer safety mini cams, $4,000 toward dispatch wireless head 
sets, $6,000 toward investigator surveillance cameras, $10,000 toward a 
jail camera system, $14,000 toward desk top computers, and $15,000 
toward mobile radios. This request is consistent with the intended and 
authorized purposed of the Department of Justice, Office of Justice 
Programs, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology 
Grants. The City of Calera will meet or exceed all statutory 
requirements for matching funds where applicable.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Spencer Bachus
  Bill Number: FY 2009 Omnibus
  Account: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cross Agency 
Support Account
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McWane Science Center
  Address of Requesting Entity: 200 19th Street, North, Birmingham, AL 
35203
  Description of Request: Provide $400,000 to advance science, 
technology, engineering and math education initiatives for McWane 
Science Center. The main objectives are to expand educational 
opportunities for students in these areas and to serve as a quality 
teacher training facility that will focus on inquiry-based education in 
the classroom. The center's desire is to specifically target schools 
that do not have the resources to provide these programs on their own. 
The project's total budget is $500,000. Specifically within the budget, 
$80,000 will go toward staff salaries/benefits, $100,000 toward teacher 
trainings/workshops--2,000 teachers, $150,000 toward Access--free 
educational field trips--15,000 students, $50,000 toward Outreach--200 
classroom education programs, $75,000 toward Celebrate Science--
statewide science fair, and $45,000 toward equipment and supplies. This 
request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cross Agency Support 
Account. The McWane Science Center will meet or exceed all statutory 
requirements for matching funds where applicable.

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