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Congressman Walz puts forth bold funding request for 2009 |
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By Daniel McGonigle
Argus Managing Editor
Congressman Tim Walz has put forth a bold funding request for his district for fiscal year 2009. Many of his proposals will have an impact on our immediate area.
Closest to home, the congressman has requested money for the Houston County flood damage reduction project.
“Funding would go for an Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study to determine potential flood reduction projects in Houston county,” said Walz.
In conjunction with that request, the congressman has also requested money for flood map modernization for Southeastern Minnesota.
“The funding would provide high-quality data for eight counties in southeastern Minnesota, to help local officials plan effective flood mitigation strategies,” he said.
Houston county would be included among the eight counties.
Other requests
Several other projects, while not as close geographically to Caledonia, but which have some bearing on communities near the Houston county seat include:
*55th street expansion-Funds would provide the final design, right-of-way acquisition and first stage construction of a 1.9 mile extension of Rochester’s 55th street as a 4-lane.
*Agricultural utilization research institute-Funding would help to identify, develop and implement uses of bio-based materials from agricultural products, helping Minnesota’s farmers diversify their operations and make efficient use of farm by products.
*Crop disease research at the University of Minnesota-Funds would be for research into crop diseases that can devastate Minnesota’s wheat, oat and barley production.
*Competitive farm benchmarking program at the University of Minnesota-Funding for a competitive grant program at the University of Minnesota that helps farmers compare their costs of production and to help them maximize their efficiencies of operation.
*Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center-Funds will help the Lanesboro Environmental Learning Center develop a plan to achieve an 80 percent reduction in its carbon footprint and become a model demonstration facility for sustainable energy technologies.
*Envision wind in southeastern Minnesota project of Gundersen Lutheran-Funds would help Gundersen Lutheran in Winona install two 1.5 MW wind turbines, enough to provide 20 percent of the hospital’s current energy usage. In addition to providing clean, renewable energy for the hospital, this project will help promote southeastern Minnesota’s growing wind energy industry.
*Gundersen Lutheran’s safer, faster, emergency care in rural Minnesota project-Funding would help install state-of-the-art EKG machines in every Tri-State ambulance used by Gundersen Lutheran.
*Upper Mississippi river interstate water quality protection program-Funding for the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association would help five states coordinate Clean Water Act activities on the Upper Mississippi River.
These are just some of the proposals Congressman Walz is making for the upcoming FY 2009 budget.
“The list includes projects relating to veterans, the National Guard, health care, transportation, agricultural research, flood control, education, renewable energy and other public infrastructure improvements,” said Walz.
While it is of course no guarantee that any or all of these requests will be funded, the list does feature several projects of need which might have a better chance of passage.
You can contact Daniel McGonigle at
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