[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E571-E574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EARMARK DISCLOSURE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 5, 2009

  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the 
House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following 
information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, FY2009 
Omnibus Appropriations Act:
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research 
Education and Extension Service, RE/FA
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Miami
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1252 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 
33146
  Description of Request: I have secured $2,494,000 for Climate 
Forecasting, FL. This funding will be used to continue research on the 
application of climate forecasts. Climate variability significantly 
impacts agricultural production in the Southeastern United States. 
Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the Southeastern 
economy and contributed $14.3 billion to Florida, Georgia and Alabama 
economies in 2002. The Southeastern Climate Consortium reduces economic 
risks and improves social well-being by facilitating the effective use 
of climate information in agricultural decision-making. Members of the 
Southeastern Climate Consortium include the University of Miami, 
Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Georgia, 
University of Alabama at Huntsville, and Auburn University. Each 
university provides unique and complementary talent and expertise in 
the necessary research areas. For example, the University of Miami will 
provide socioeconomic modeling and analyses of the agricultural system 
and characterize the linkages among water management and farming. 
Previous funding for this project includes $2,675,000 in FY08 and 
$3,600,000 in FY06. It is my understanding that all participating 
Universities will receive a portion of this funding.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research 
Education and Extension Service, SRG
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Florida, Institute of 
Food and Agricultural Services -
  Address of Requesting Entity: 700 Experiment Station Road, Lake 
Alfred, FL 33850
  Description of Request: I have secured $1,217,000 for Citrus Canker/
Greening, FL. The funding will be used to continue the vital citrus 
canker and greening research being conducted by the University of 
Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (IFAS), to improve 
technologies for treatment and detection, methods of movement and 
containment, and means to control and eliminate citrus canker and 
greening. As a result of the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season it has 
become evident that the eradication of citrus canker in Florida is not 
feasible, therefore it is vital that the scientific community find a 
disease resistant crop or a cure to the disease to protect the citrus 
industry, which is a vital part of the Florida economy, from these 
devastating diseases. The continued research on citrus canker and 
greening is a joint effort among the State of Florida, University of 
Florida and citrus industry. The project is estimated to cost 
approximately $16 million in total. The University of Florida has 
received $3 million from the Florida State Legislature and $7 million 
from citrus growers for work on this important project. Previously the 
University of Florida has received $1.35 million in FY08, $500,000 in 
FY06 and $474,000 in FY07 for this project. It is my understanding that 
the University of Florida will provide $3 million in cost-share 
funding.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Doral
  Address of Requesting Entity: 8300 NW 53rd St, Suite 100, Doral, FL 
33166
  Description of Request: I have secured $500,000 for the City of Doral 
Police Department. This funding will be used to offset the cost of 
purchases made to establish a new police department in the City of 
Doral which was incorporated in 2003 and has grown at a rate of 71%. 
The City of Doral recently opened its own police department after 
sharing services with the Miami-Dade County Police Department for the 
past several years. The City opened its department in order to 
effectively provide for the rapidly growing community's traffic, public 
safety and law enforcement needs. Funds provided will be used for 
equipment purchases include protective gear, communications devices, 
hardware/software and technology upgrades. The project is estimated to 
cost a total of $17 million. It is my understanding that the city has 
received $1,500,000 through the Community Budget Issue Request Funding 
provided by the State of Florida that will be utilized as a cost-share 
for this project.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Collier County, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3301 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112
  Description of Request: I have secured $350,000 for the Emergency 
Services Technology. The funding will be used to support the 
acquisition of public safety equipment for the County's new Emergency 
Services Center. Current public safety technology equipment is outdated 
and hindering the ability for the local law enforcement officials to 
work effectively. Funding will go towards procurement of GIS and 
improved interoperable communications technology. The Emergency 
Services Center, currently under construction, is a 130,000 square 
foot, four story complex and includes a communications tower. Upon 
completion, occupants will include the Emergency Management staff, 
Emergency Operations Center, Information Technology, Sheriff's 
Substation and 911 Center, and Clerk of Courts. The total cost of 
technology acquisition is approximately $10,000,000. It is my 
understanding that the County has committed to funding construction of 
the $56,000,000 complex with the help of $3,204,000 provided by the 
State of Florida as a cost-share for this project. This project 
received $352,500 in FY08.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Justice, OJP--Juvenile Justice
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The ARISE Foundation
  Address of Requesting Entity: 824 US Hwy 1, Suite 240, North Palm 
Beach, FL, 33408-3838
  Description of Request: I have secured $300,000 for the ARISE Life-
Management Skills Intervention/ Re-entry Program for High Risk Youth. 
The funding will be used by The ARISE Foundation to provide juvenile 
justice facilities with specialized staff training and unique curricula 
to teach life lessons and develop thinking skills for incarcerated 
youth needed to break the cycle of violence and crime in order to 
reduce recidivism rates. The ARISE foundation serves approximately 31 
facilities providing juvenile justice and has trained over 5,250 
certified life skills instructors who have taught over 3.7 million 
hours of life skills lessons. The material provided contains vital 
information used to reduce recidivism by learning life-management 
lessons. The ARISE foundation plans to expand its training program for 
Juvenile Crime and Detention Officers in Florida's Juvenile Justice 
facilities by introducing additional training topics such as anger 
management, non-judgmental listening and conflict resolution. This 
project has received previous funding including $728,500 in FY08, 
$250,000 in FY06, $250,000 in FY05, $500,000 in FY04 and $500,000 in 
FY03. It is my understanding that this project will receive cost-share 
funds in the form of $150,000 from sales of curriculum and training and 
$100,000 from private foundation grants.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Florida Water Management 
District
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 
33406
  Description of Request: I have secured $123,448,000 for the South 
Florida Everglades Ecosystem Restoration, FL. The focus of Everglades 
Restoration is to restore, protect and

[[Page E572]]

preserve the defining ecological features of the original Everglades 
and the South Florida ecosystem. The Comprehensive Everglades 
Restoration Plan (CERP) was originally enacted in the Water Resources 
Development Act of 2000. This Plan includes 68 different projects 
designed with the goal of restoring historic waterflows to the Florida 
Everglades. This project is a 50/50 cost-share with the Army Corps of 
Engineers and the State of Florida. To date the State of Florida has 
invested in excess of $2 billion for CERP, the ACOE has invested just 
over $340 million. In FY08 this project received $130,669,000. It is my 
understanding that this funding will be utilized by the State to serve 
as the Federal share of the 50/50 cost-share arrangement established in 
WRDA 2000.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Florida Water Management 
District
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 
33406
  Description of Request: I have secured $3,472,000 for the South 
Florida Everglades Ecosystem Restoration, FL Everglades and S. Florida 
Ecosystem Restoration, FL. The focus of Everglades Restoration is to 
restore, protect and preserve the defining ecological features of the 
original Everglades and the South Florida ecosystem. The Comprehensive 
Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was originally enacted in the Water 
Resources Development Act of 2000. This Plan includes 68 different 
projects designed with the goal of restoring historic waterflows to the 
Florida Everglades. This project is a 50/50 cost-share with the Army 
Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and the State of Florida. To date the State 
of Florida has invested in excess of $2 billion for CERP, the ACOE has 
invested just over $340 million. In FY08 this project received 
$130,669,000. It is my understanding that this funding will be utilized 
by the State to serve as the Federal share of the 50/50 cost-share 
arrangement established in WRDA 2000.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Investigations
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami-Dade County, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 111 NW 1ST St, Suite 1032, Miami, FL 
33128
  Description of Request: I have secured $478,000 for the Miami Harbor, 
FL. The funding will be used to begin the Miami Harbor Phase III 
dredging project authorized under the Water Resources Development Act 
of 2007. The project will deepen the Port of Miami to 50-52 feet in 
order to accommodate the larger container ships which are becoming the 
industry standard. Implementation includes design, preparation of plans 
and specification for bidding. Miami Harbor is a major economic force, 
accounting for over 98,000 jobs and $12 billion in annual economic 
impact. The total project cost is $154,300,000 with an additional 
$3,800,000 in PED ($2,670,000 Federal and $1,220,000 Non-Federal). 
Expected Federal Share based on Federal Statute is $73,060,000. The 
Non-Federal Share is $81,240,000. It is my understanding that Miami-
Dade County intends to invest $1,220,000 and other Federal Sources will 
be investing $670,000 as a cost-share for this project.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, O & M
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami-Dade County, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 111 NW 1ST St, Suite 1032, Miami, FL 
33128
  Description of Request: I have secured $10,043,000 for the Miami 
River, FL. The funding will be used to implement the final phase of the 
Miami River Dredging Project, seeking to restore the authorized depth 
and width to the navigational channel. The project aims to remove 
contaminated sediments from the Miami River, which is Florida's 4th 
largest port with an economic value of $4 billion. The River has not 
been dredged since it was originally dredged to be navigational in the 
1930s. The dredging provides improve navigation as well as enhances the 
environmental quality of the River and Biscayne Bay. This funding will 
enable the ACOE to complete this project. $40,000,000 has previously 
been Appropriated for this project. The State of Florida has provided a 
minimum of $2 billion to act as a 50/50 partner. It is my understanding 
that funding allocation and cost-sharing will include $4,700,000 from 
Miami-Dade County, $3,300,000 from the City of Miami, $19,200,000 from 
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and $9,700,000 from 
the South Florida Water Management District.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Energy, Science
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Barry University
  Address of Requesting Entity: 11300 NE Second Ave, Miami Shores, FL 
33161
  Description of Request: I have secured $761,200 for the Barry 
University Institute for Collaborative Sciences Research. The funding 
will be used to expand and renovate the collaborative research, 
laboratories and teaching facilities and instrumentation as well as to 
expand support for faculty and student development. Barry University 
requires more critical laboratory and teaching space to develop its 
potential as a research facility to further their mission to prepare 
leaders from the minority community in health professions and 
facilitate nationally valuable evidence-based research. This project 
has previously received $400,000 in FY08.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Florida Water Management 
District
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 
33406
  Description of Request I have secured $74,069,000 for the Herbert 
Hoover Dike, FL (Seepage Control). This vital project, which is 
currently underway, is providing vital security by constructing a 
seepage cutoff wall that will protect the Dike from seepage as well as 
protect the local community by preventing a breach in the Dike during a 
Hurricane. This project is authorized under the Rivers and Harbors Act 
of 1930 and received $54,883,584 million in FY08. It is my 
understanding that this is a 100% Federal project and all funding will 
be utilized for further construction work on the Dike.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA), Health Facilities and Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Miami, Miller School 
of Medicine
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1601 NW 12th Avenue, 9th Floor, Miami, 
FL 33136.
  Description of Request: I have secured $238,000 for purchase of 
equipment for the Pediatric Integrative Medical Center at the 
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. The funding will be 
used to develop a pioneer center for excellence for a pediatric 
integrative medicine model where research and delivery of care are 
emphasized. The model will utilize Complementary and Alternative 
Medicine (CAM) in concert with conventional medicine to improve the 
standards of care. It is becoming more and more evident that all health 
problems cannot be solved through traditional medical interventions, 
many factors, such as diet, lifestyle and environment play an important 
role in pediatric health. Currently, CAM has not been tested 
extensively in pediatrics, and adult studies cannot be extrapolated to 
pediatrics. This Center will focus on evaluating CAM and a pediatric 
integrative medicine model in order to develop the most effective 
interventions and develop rigorous scientific methodology. The model 
will allow cross-communication between pediatricians, disease 
management specialists and CAM practitioners with a single point of 
contact with the patient in order to provide comprehensive and 
efficient delivery model.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA), Health Facilities and Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Homestead, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 790 North Homestead Blvd., Homestead, 
FL 33030
  Description of Request: I have secured $190,000 for facilities and 
equipment at the Bill Dickinson Senior Center. The funding will be used 
for construction, renovation and equipment to expand the Bill Dickinson 
Senior Center. The expansion is necessary to accommodate the growing 
number of members and to allow the Center to provide dedicated medical 
rooms geared toward health, therapy/fitness services and health 
screening. This project received $375,000 in FY04 and $125,000 in FY05. 
It is my understanding that the City of Homestead will provide 
$5,800,000 for design and construction and the Florida State Division 
of Cultural Affairs will provide $346,500 in cost-share funding.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)

[[Page E573]]

  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA), Health Facilities and Services
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Collier County, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3301 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112
  Description of Request: I have secured $143,000 for healthcare access 
network for the uninsured, including purchase of equipment for Collier 
County, FL. The funding will be used to support and further develop a 
health care access network for the under/uninsured in Collier County. 
Collier County has identified over 35,000 residents who lack quality 
health care and currently is experiencing overuse of its emergency 
health facilities. This project seeks to expand, organize, and develop 
a full access program with a full continuum of services for 
approximately 35,000 residents needing health care. The initial phase 
of this project has been the adoption of a shared information database 
between the portals of entry for the poor into the system. Future 
phases of the project include marketing and full penetration of the 
population of uninsured/underinsured individuals. The total cost of 
this project is approximately $5 million. This project received 
$327,183 in FY08. It is my understanding that local healthcare 
providers will contribute approximately $1,000,000 in services, 
community foundations will provide $370,000 and Collier County will 
provide matching funds of approximately $130,000 for staff salaries.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic 
Development Initiatives
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami-Dade College
  Address of Requesting Entity: 11011 SW 104 St, Miami, FL 33176
  Description of Request: I have secured $142,500 for the development 
and construction of an Environmental and Ecological Study Center. The 
funding will go towards the development and construction of an 
Environmental and Ecological Study Center at Miami-Dade College. The 
facility will be a dynamic education resource center and environmental 
showcase consisting of a single family ``house'' where students and 
visitors can see ecologically sound best practices. It will have the 
external appearance of a south Florida home and will have flexible 
meeting areas for workshops, conferences, demonstration areas and 
office space. The Center will model environmentally sustainable 
construction design and will provide local residents, consumers, 
designers, builders, environmentalists and others with a single source 
for integrated and practical ways to make homes greener, safer, 
stronger and smarter. The Center will deliver formal and informal 
education in support of major national and state environmental 
priorities including energy efficiency and conservation, hurricane and 
flood protection, water conservation and management, asthma, mold and 
other indoor air hazards and access for the disabled. It is my 
understanding that Miami-Dade College intends to provide a local match 
of $319,266.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority, Bus 
and Bus Facilities
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Town of Miami Lakes, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 15700 NW 67th Ave, Miami Lakes, FL 
33014
  Description of Request: I have secured $570,000 for the Miami Lakes 
Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Trolleybus Procurement, FL. The funding 
will be used for the second phase of the vehicle procurement program. 
The funding will go towards the procurement of hybrid electrical 
vehicles which provide negligible emissions and low-floor designs. The 
vehicles will be part of the trolleybus service that is currently being 
implemented. The service is designed to provide general transportation 
throughout the town, primarily focusing on east-west directional travel 
currently not serviced by the County bus system, transportation for 
students and parents to and from Bob Graham Education Center during the 
morning commencement and afternoon dismissal periods, a mid-day lunch 
route service for the business parks, and lastly, a paratransit, door-
to-door bus service for senior citizens. The general circulator will 
mitigate their growing traffic congestion problems and the potential 
safety concerns stemmed by increased vehicular traffic. The funds will 
go towards the purchase of a new bus with an estimated cost of $400,000 
and operations and maintenance. It is my understanding that this 
project has received $400,000 from the State Department of 
Transportation for operations and the Town will fund the remaining 
operations budget with revenues from a local transportation sales tax. 
This project received $300,000 in FY08.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic 
Development Initiatives
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami Military Museum
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1825 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral 
Gables, FL 33134
  Description of Request: I have secured $118,750 for the relocation, 
restoration and rehabilitation of a historic military structure called 
the Miami Military Museum. The funding will be used to relocate, 
restore and rehabilitate the historic structure into a military museum, 
veterans memorial and education center. The structure served as a 
control base and headquarters for the blimps that protected the South 
Florida coastline and Caribbean during World War II, an intelligence 
base during the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, an Army Reserve 
Center, and a Marine Corps Reserve Center during Desert Storm. In 
addition to serving as a museum, the restored facility will serve as a 
research library and classroom space to accommodate school field trips. 
It is my understanding that this project is expected to receive 
$2,000,000 from Miami-Dade County and has previously received $350,000.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority, Bus 
and Bus Facilities
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Doral, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 8300 NW 53rd St, Suite 100, Doral, FL 
33166.
  Description of Request: I have secured $475,000 for the Doral Transit 
Circulator Program. The funding will be used to further implement the 
Doral Transit Circulator program. This program allows the City to 
provide public transportation services to help alleviate traffic 
congestion and to connect residential areas with recreational, retail 
and commercial facilities. Once primarily composed of agricultural and 
industrial tracts, City of Doral has established itself as a major 
center of wholesale international trade and a booming office, 
commercial, and residential community. Approximately 35,000 people live 
in Doral and over 100,000 more travel to and through the city each day 
for employment and business activities. Due to its proximity to the 
urban core of Miami-Dade and major transportation facilities, as well 
as the rapid development of its component communities, Doral contends 
with a unique array of transportation concerns that require immediate 
and significant attention. It is my understanding that the City of 
Doral will provide $250,000 in matching funds towards this project.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Lands (Public Lands 
Highways)
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miccosukee Reservation, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 440021, Tamiami Station, 
Miami, FL 33144.
  Description of Request: I have secured $760,000 for the Snake Road 
Safety Improvements. The funding will be used to design the recommended 
alternative to widen the existing shoulders on Snake Road within the 
Miccosukee Tribe Reservation to address significant safety concerns. 
Two studies conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs concluded that 
Snake Road is in serious need of realignment and repair, where from 
1997-2000 70 accidents occurred resulting in 6 deaths. The project 
would fund the alternative selected by the Florida Department of 
Transportation following a PD&E Study which has the least environmental 
impact and is the most cost effective. Total cost of the project is 
$1,079,600. It is my understanding that the Tribe will provide the 
remaining funding necessary for the project to be completed as a local 
match.
  Requesting Member: Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
  Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
  Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority, 
Capital Investment Grants
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami-Dade County, FL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 111 NW 1ST St, Suite 1032, Miami, FL 
33128
  Description of Request: I have secured $20,000,000 for the Metrorail 
Orange Line Extension Project, FL. This funding will be used for Phase 
II and III of the Metrorail Extension Project, the North Corridor and 
East-West

[[Page E574]]

Corridor, respectively. Phase II is in the final planning stage for the 
construction of a 9.2-mile Metrorail extension along NW 27th Avenue and 
Phase III is a proposed East-West Rapid Transit Corridor that will run 
some 10-13 miles East from the Miami Intermodal Center to Florida 
International University and points west. Metrorail began service in 
1984 and currently operates 22.4-miles of rapid transit line, however 
the region has experienced tremendous growth in the last 24 years, most 
of it occurring outside the current system boundaries, and is in need 
of an expanded Metrorail system. This Rail extension will allow more 
options for commuters and visitors as well as improve safety on the 
roadways and be more environmentally-friendly. This project was 
authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users in 2005. The total cost 
of this project is an estimated $1.6 billion. It is my understanding 
that the Florida Department of Transportation will invest $452,700,000 
and the Miami-Dade County People's Transportation Plan will invest an 
additional $452,700,000 as the local match for this project.

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