INFORMATION FROM OBEY'S OFFICE:

BUDGET CONTAINS OVER $11.6 Million TO IMPROVE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN WESTERN WISCONSIN, OBEY SAYS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), who as Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee was the lead architect of the Obama economic recovery package, announced that the budget signed by the President today includes numerous items to help improve economic opportunity in Western Wisconsin and throughout the State.

“In tough economic times these provisions will be important to local communities all over Wisconsin,” Obey said, noting that the initiatives that will benefit Western Wisconsin in the budget include:

$4,207,000 for the St. Croix Falls wastewater treatment plant: The funds are intended to help with construction of a new wastewater treatment plant that can meet the community’s needs and protect the St. Croix River.

$1,900,000 for Highway 53 Intersections: The funds are intended to assist the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation in ongoing work studying, designing and constructing safe intersections along State Highway 53 between Superior and Rice Lake. The lack of controlled, freeway style merge lanes for access to and from Highway 53 has created a number of dangerous situations along the road.

$1,332,000 for After School Programs by Cooperative Educational Services Agencies 10 & 11: The funds are intended to help CESA 10 and 11continue to provide a safe, healthy, enriching, supervised after-school environment for children in Abbotsford, Birchwood, Bruce, Chippewa Falls, Clayton, Cornell, Cumberland, Gilman, Grantsburg, Ladysmith-Hawkins, Medford, New Auburn, Shell Lake, Spooner and Thorp. Research shows that when students have an alternative place to go after school where they can study and be supervised by an adult, not only are they less likely to get into trouble, but they also have a better education experience. That’s why I’ve pushed for more funding for after-school centers in the budget and why I asked for these funds to help continue these after school programs in Wisconsin.

$950,000 for Runway Improvements, L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport, Osceola, WI: The funds were requested by the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation and are intended to help with construction of a parallel taxiway and land acquisition, part of a multi-phase effort to provide a strengthened 5000-foot runway, parallel taxiway and all-weather navigational system at the airport.

$950,000 to repave taxiway and ramp, Amery Municipal Airport, Amery, WI: The funds were requested by the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation and are intended to help repave the taxiway and ramp. The taxiway was built in 1972, is in poor condition and is well past its useful life.

$950,000 for the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, Eau Claire, WI Terminal development, phase 2: The funds are intended to assist with phase 2 of a multi-phase terminal building refurbishment and expansion project to address security requirements by adding space for screening and separating air carrier passengers and aircraft from general aviation operations.

$500,000 for Water infrastructure improvements, Cumberland Wisconsin: The funds are intended to help the Cumberland Municipal Utility construct a new well and water tower without putting too big a burden on local rate-payers.

$335,000 for zebra mussel control on the St. Croix River: The funds are intended to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue a study on the management of zebra mussels, which threaten two endangered species on the St. Croix River.

$263,000 for environmental studies on the St. Croix River Watershed: The funds are intended to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue a study of the St. Croix River’s environmental problems and opportunities for recovery, including 1) managing invasive species, 2) reducing erosion, and 3) improving wildlife habitat and water quality. The St. Croix River is one of the most pristine rivers in the Midwest. It is managed as a National Wild and Scenic River and is the habitat for two endangered species of mussel. Unfortunately, the River is under pressure from a number of stresses, including pollution, invasive species and developments that threaten its watershed.

$174,000 for the UW-Stout Pilot Technology Transfer: Requested by the Northwest Manufacturing Outreach Center at the UW-Stout, the funds are intended to help augment a university technology transfer program to enhance the ability of small manufacturing businesses to make use of changes in technology in order to improve efficiency. Since 1994, NWMOC has served more than 1,000 small and medium sized manufacturers in northern and central Wisconsin, created or retained 2,600 jobs, and generated a total sales impact for these companies of more than $100 million, with a more than 200-1 return on investments.

$70,000 for a water quality study on Cedar Lake: The funds are intended to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to examine phosphorous loading on a lake in Barron County. The results of this study will be used to develop a model of remediation, not just for this lake, but for 200 similar lakes across Wisconsin.