Contact: Jessica Smith – (202)228-5185
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
FY2009 Appropriations Bill Provides Critical Investments
to Meet Virginians’ Needs
Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) today announced success in securing funding for a number of projects to improve the quality of life of Virginians living in Richmond and the surrounding communities.
The legislation includes funding for military construction projects at Ft. Lee, upgrades to Richmond’s Combined Sewer Overflow system (CSO), additional buses for the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), security improvements at the Oliver Hill Courts Building, and a Virginia Department of Correction’s transition program for incarcerated youth.
Funding was secured in the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 (H.R. 1105) that was signed into law today by the President.
“The Omnibus Appropriations Act passed by Congress this week makes critical investments in military construction projects, law enforcement and gang prevention, education, and access to technology that will benefit all Virginians,” said Senator Webb.
“I am pleased that we were able to secure funding for Ft. Lee, given the growth it will experience as a result of Base Closure and Realignment actions,” Webb said. “Properly maintaining and modernizing Virginia’s military facilities and bases are as important to the livelihood of the Commonwealth as they are to our national security and welfare of our service members and their families.”
To promote greater transparency in government, funding levels and descriptions of all projects in the legislation are available online at: http://appropriations.house.gov/FY2009_consolidated.shtml.
Descriptions of key regional programs and projects in the consolidated appropriations bill include the following:
The bill allocates significant funds in critical construction projects for Virginia’s military installations, including $1,425,000 for military construction projects for Ft. Lee. Appropriated dollars will be spent to enhance gates and intersections to accommodate for previous transportation improvements and anticipated growth.
The bill allocates $287,000 for upgrades to the current Combined Sewer Overflow system (CSO) in Richmond. The city of Richmond is under special compliance order by the VA Dept. of Environmental Quality to comply with the Clean Water Act. The CSO project consists of studies and designs to support the reevaluation of the city’s CSO Long Term Control Plan. Work will include reliability and interface planning for CSO and Dry Weather Flow facilities and the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Satellite facilities.
The bill provides $400,000 for security upgrades at Oliver Hill Courts Building. The Oliver Hill Courts Building houses the Richmond Juvenile Domestic Relations District Court, juvenile probation and parole units, prosecutors, public defenders, and other state, local, and nonprofit agencies related to the criminal, juvenile justice, and human services systems.
The bill also appropriates $617,500 for the addition of new buses to the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC). Based on Federal Transit Administration guidelines, GRTC will be eligible to begin a phased bus replacement program from FY 2008 through FY 2015. During this eight year period, approximately $60 million will be needed to replace 154 buses as their FTA mandated useful life expires. The timely replacement of transit vehicles is one of the fundamental programs necessary for an efficient and effective public transportation system. GRTC attracts an annual ridership of about ten million revenue passengers in the city of Richmond, and parts of Henrico and Chesterfield Counties.
The spending measure also includes $95,000 Virginia Department of Correctional Education’s Transition Program for Incarcerated Youth to reduce recidivism by providing postsecondary academic education and vocational training for offenders up to age 25 who are incarcerated and eligible for release within five years.
