[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 25, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

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                           HON. VERN BUCHANAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2009

  Mr. BUCHANAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership 
standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information 
regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus 
Appropriations Act, 2009:
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105
  Account: Health Resources and Services (HRSA)--Health Facilities and 
Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236
  Description of Request: I secured $190,000 for a Health Facility in 
Englewood, Florida. Sarasota County is seeking to construct a new 
health facility in the community of Englewood. The facility will be 
located in the southern most portion of Sarasota County and will serve 
the residents of both Sarasota and Charlotte counties. The facility 
will improve access to health care and a variety of human and social 
services programs for residents.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105
  Account: Corp of Engineers--Investigations
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Sarasota
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1565 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236
  Description of Request: I secured $150,000 for Lido Key beach re-
nourishment. The middle portion of Lido Key Beach is the most seriously 
eroded segment. This section of beach is generally very narrow due to 
the ongoing erosion problem, which has been accelerated by several 
storms from 1982 to the present. As a result, the damage to Lido Key 
Beach and adjacent structures from even moderate storms has increased 
and greater losses can be expected from future storms. The beach loses 
an average of almost 11 feet of width each year.
  In a Reconnaissance study report approved by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers in May of 1997, the Corps found that the Lido Key Beach 
Nourishment project ``is technically sound, economically justified, and 
socially and environmentally acceptable.'' The U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers has recommended the nourishment of 1.56 miles of shoreline. 
Ratios in excess of 1 to 1 are required for the Corps to find that a 
proposed shoreline protection project meets its national economic 
benefit test.
  The project was fully authorized by Section 364 of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 1999, P.L. 106-53.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105
  Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Manatee County
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1112 Manatee Ave W. Bradenton, FL 34205
  Description of Request: I secured $3,828,000 for Wares Creek Flood 
and Coastal Storm Damage Project. The Wares Creek Project involves 
dredging approximately three miles of the waterway for flood control 
purposes. It seeks to extinguish ``muck and sediment'' from the mouth 
of the creek. The project was initially authorized in the Water 
Resources Development Act of 1996 and is endorsed by the Manatee County 
Commissioners. It received $4.7 million in funds last year from the 
Omnibus Appropriation bill.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105
  Account: Corps of Engineers--Operations & Maintenance
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: West Coast Inland Navigational 
District
  Address of Requesting Entity: 200 East Miami Avenue, Venice, FL 34285
  Description of Request: I secured $2,076,000 for the West Coast 
Inland Navigation District (WCIND) under the Army Corps of Engineers, 
Operation and Maintenance account for maintenance dredging of the Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), (a.k.a Intracoastal Waterway, 
Caloosahatchee River to Anclote River), Florida.
  The areas in need of maintenance dredging include Longboat Pass 
(Manatee County), Venice Inlet (Sarasota County), mouth of 
Caloosahatchee River (Miserable Mile in Lee County), and the Boca 
Grande Bayou area (Miller's Marina in Lee County) of the GICW. With the 
Committee's help, Congress appropriated $1.4 million (FY'04 & FY'05 
combined) for the required design, engineering, permitting, and initial 
dredging for these projects.
  In 1945, in the Rivers and Harbors Act, Congress authorized the GICW 
to be maintained at a width of 100-feet, and a depth of nine-feet 
between the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, near Ft. Myers, and the 
Anclote River, north of Tampa. The GICW channel runs through six 
counties (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and 
Lee) and links natural deep-water sections of bays through a series of 
man-made channels, thereby providing for the safe passage of commercial 
goods, and access to commercial fishing grounds. Dredging of the GICW 
commenced in 1960 and was completed in 1967, at which time the WCIND 
began maintenance activities.

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