U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release Tuesday, December 18, 2007		CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 Cody Wertz 303-350-0032
Sen. Salazar Secures Funding for Key Priorities in Highway 50 West Region; Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passes in Senate WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, by a vote of 76 to 17 the United States Senate passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008. United States Senator Ken Salazar announced that he secured funding for key priorities in Highway 50 West region in the bill. The funding Senator Salazar secured improves transportation, provides funds for local law enforcement, supports our military and veterans and increases access to health care. “I am proud that this bill helps meet the needs of Colorado’s communities,” said Senator Salazar. “These investments are vital to the Highway 50 West region and to the responsible development of our energy resources, to law enforcement officials who are combating meth, and to veterans who deserve better access to health care.” Below is a list of key projects that Senator Salazar included in the bill for the Highway 50 West region: Ensuring a Thoughtful and Deliberative Approach on Oil Shale Development: Senator Salazar, Congressman Salazar and Congressman Udall authored a provision that creates a ‘time-out’ on commercial leasing of oil shale. The provision prevents the Bureau of Land Management from issuing any final rules or regulations for commercial-scale leasing of oil shale in 2008. It also prevents the BLM from offering any commercial oil shale leases in 2008. The language Senator Salazar worked to include will allow Western communities to take a thoughtful and deliberative approach to oil shale development. $89,300 for the Delta/Montrose Drug Task Force to combat meth usage Mileage Reimbursement for Veterans: The omnibus includes $125 million in funding that Senators Tester and Salazar added as an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Administration appropriations bill to support a long-overdue mileage reimbursement increase for veterans to 28.5 cents per mile. Currently, veterans living in rural areas who travel long distances to receive medical care are only reimbursed at 11 cents per mile. $272,600 for the City of Montrose for an emergency dispatch center: Funds will support a new dispatch center to be used by police, fire, and emergency medical service employees. $843,000 for the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area: Funds will enable the Bureau of Land Management to purchase 3,170 acres of critical inholdings from willing landowners within the boundaries of the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. $984,000 for Uncompahgre National Forest- Ophir Valley: Senator Salazar secured funds will be used to acquire 1,200 acres of patented mining claims for the Uncompahgre National Forest. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 will be sent back to the House of Representatives for final passage. It is expected to be sent to the President’s desk by the end of the week. ###