Berkley Delivers Critical Resources for Neveda Needs in Omnibus Spending Bill

Press Release

February 25, 2009) Southern Nevada will benefit from tens of millions of dollars in federal funding included by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley in legislation passed today by the House. Among the Las Vegas needs addressed in the package are funding for Metro, Clark County Schools, safety upgrades at McCarran Airport and for Valley buses. The legislation, which passed 245 to 178, also slashes an additional $100 million from the failed Yucca Mountain waste dump.

"This bill will provide funding for work on the Las Vegas Beltway and I-15, for safety equipment and air traffic control needs at McCarran Airport and to build a modern transportation center in downtown Las Vegas -- and that's just for starters," said Berkley. "Clark County schools will see additional funding to help with dropout prevention efforts and to increase energy efficiency and Metro will get funding for the removal of hazardous material from meth labs," said Berkley.

"The Nevada Cancer Institute will also get funding for vital prevention screenings and radiation therapy, while North Las Vegas will see more than $2 million for a water re-use facility. All of these are worthwhile investments that are crucial to public safety, education, the health of our families and other issues that impact the Valley's quality of life," said Berkley.

Berkley also hailed a $100 million Yucca Mountain funding cut included in the legislation.

"Once again we have taken a knife to this pile of radioactive pork and slashed another $100 million from Yucca Mountain's budget. The fact remains that America can safely store nuclear waste at existing reactor sites for the next 100 years, eliminating transportation and terrorism threats and ending the need to dump this waste outside Las Vegas," said Congresswoman Shelley Berkley.

NEVADA FUNDING

Transportation/Housing and Urban Development

New Downtown Las Vegas Transportation Center: $950,000
Bus and bus systems (statewide): $1.4 million
McCarran Airport wind hazard detection equip: $807,500
Roads: I-15, Sloan to Apex Interchange: $475,000
Southern Nevada Beltway interchanges: $2.9 million
Las Vegas TRACON air traffic control facility @ McCarran Airport: $9.9 million

Commerce-Justice-Science:

North Las Vegas Police records management system: $300,000
Las Vegas Metro Police methamphetamine hazard response: $200,000
Boys Town Nevada at-risk youth programs: $200,000
City of Las Vegas copper wire theft prevention: $400,000
Clark County/KidsPeace foster care: $750,000

Energy and Water:

North Las Vegas water re-use facility: $2.75 million
Las Vegas Wash/Lake Mead program: $2.7 million
Agassi Prep "Alternative Energy School of the Future: $1.9 million
City of Las Vegas plug-in hybrid vehicle program: $143,000
Clark County School District (CCSD) solar lighting: $760,000
UNLV, Sustainable Las Vegas research program: $950,000
Desert Research Institute (DRI) data modeling center: $1.1 million

Labor/Health and Human Services

Agassi Prep, technology upgrades: $260,000
Clark County School District CCSD, Family Leadership Institute: $190,000
Clark County School District CCSD, dropout prevention services: $856,000
Smith Center for the Performing Arts, K-12 education: $409,000
Black Mountain Institute (UNLV), int'l literary center: $95,000
Olive Crest, Strong Families Safe Kids foster care program: $190,000
Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI), breast cancer screening program (mammovan): $381,000
NVCI, radiation therapy center: $262,000

Interior:
Water Research Foundation, water supply research: $1.7 million

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