GENESEE COUNTY -- Kildee secures $6.4 Million in Total Federal Funding for Flint and Genesee County in Fiscal Year 2009.
Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) today announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved the consolidated appropriations bill which provides funding for nearly all federal domestic programs for fiscal year 2009. Kildee’s appropriations requests for the current fiscal year would bring a total of $6,376,500 to projects in the City of Flint and Genesee County. U.S. Senate action on the measure is pending.
“These projects will provide much needed funding to repair aging infrastructure and modernize our healthcare centers,” said Kildee. “These federal funds will move our communities forward, and improve the quality of life for our citizens.”
Listed below are the projects in Genesee County that received funding at the request of Congressman Kildee:
Hamilton Dam Repair, Rehabilitation and Replacement Project, Flint River: $100,000 to rehabilitate the Hamilton Dam in downtown Flint. The dam is owned by the City of Flint, and has been classified by the State of Michigan dam safety inspection team as a “high hazard potential” dam. Only one of the six concrete gates remains functional, and failure could result in the loss of life and property. The Hamilton Dam project funding was authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 at the request of Congressman Kildee. This is a multi-year, multi-source project, and Kildee will seek additional funds in the next fiscal year.
Biogas Center of Excellence – Michigan Economic Development Corporation: $951,500 would be used to fund the Biogas Center of Excellence in Flint, Michigan. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation will partner with the City of Flint, Kettering University, the Mott Foundation, Swedish Biogas International and AB Volvo to establish the Biogas Center of Excellence. The Center would develop biogas at a wastewater treatment facility, and use it as a fuel for municipal vehicles and to heat and power buildings.
The Center will also establish relationships with entities in Sweden to develop best practices in biogas, and serve as a joint research and development center between the U.S. and Sweden in biofuels and bioenergy development.
Genesee County Drain Commission - Kearsley Creek Interceptor Project: $607,000 would be used for the construction of 15 miles of sanitary sewer pile and two pump stations. The Kearsley Creek Interceptor is in need of repair and improvement.
Beecher Community Schools – Supplemental education for at-risk students: $238,000 would be used to implement the Education Station Curriculum of reading, math and science for students who are failing in one or more of those subjects.
Hamilton Community Health Network – Patient Management System: $190,000 to upgrade and implement an electronic patient and disease management systems.
Mott Community College – Center for Advanced Manufacturing: $190,000 would be used to expand ongoing job development and job placement efforts in five economic growth sectors.
Flint Police Department – In-car technology: $500,000 for the purchase and implementation of an 800 MHz communications platform, which will allow the Flint Police Department to communicate with other law enforcement agencies and public safety entities. The City of Flint is currently unable to communicate with first responders outside of the Department.
Genesee County Sheriff – Information Based Identification System: $800,000 for the purchase of portable, handheld digital fingerprint and photograph devices. They will deliver within minutes vital identification information to officers on patrol.
Of new funding acquired for Flint Police and Genesee Sheriff technology upgrades, Kildee said “New funding will help to equip our law enforcement officers with the tools they need to keep our communities safe.”
Appropriations for Local College Defense Research
In an appropriations bill enacted last September providing fiscal year 2009 funding for defense, military construction and veterans programs, Kildee had already secured $2.8 million for local projects:
- Mott Community College – Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Strategies: $1.2 million to create a demonstration site that features new developments in advanced manufacturing methods and materials for the production of innovative products required by the military.
- Kettering University – Chemical Warfare Agent Fate Program: $1.6 million to continue research on the Chemical Warfare Agent Fate Program, which examines how long chemicals remain harmful after deployed by a chemical weapon.
