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 North Central Region; Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passes in Senate WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, 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 the North Central region in the bill. The funding Senator Salazar secured improves transportation infrastructure, 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 North Central region and helping farmers and ranchers increase their yields, helping communities fight the meth scourge, and helping veterans reach the health care they deserve.” Below is a list of key projects that Senator Salazar included in the bill for the North Central region: $400,000 for a Sustainable Biofuels Development Center at Colorado State University: This funding will help Colorado State University establish collaborative research facilities to develop new crop production techniques for arid and marginal lands, as well as develop new strains of energy crops. $658,500 to Prevent Well Shut-Downs in Central Colorado Water Conservancy District in Weld County: Recent court decrees and state orders have resulted in severe restrictions on groundwater pumping in the South Platte River Basin. These funds will be used to install flow meters on up to 700 remaining wells in the CCWCD to satisfy augmentation plans and prevent farmers from receiving a “cease and desist” order from the State Engineer, ordering that they shut their wells down. $134,000 each for the Weld County Drug Task Force and the Larimer County Drug Task Force to continue to fight 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. $3,125,000 for agricultural research projects at Colorado State University: The funds Senator Salazar secured will be used for infectious animal disease research, global change/ultraviolet radiation research, genetic research of beef cattle, and research on Russian wheat aphid resistant wheat. 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. ###