The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

February 26, 2009

Area projects secure in spending bill

Earmarks identical in House, Senate versions

By Mark Fischenich

MANKATO — A federal appropriations bill that will bring nearly $4 million in earmarks for south-central Minnesota is long delayed but moving much faster than normal through the U.S. House and Senate budget-setting process.

The omnibus appropriations bill is for the current fiscal year, meaning it was supposed to be enacted last year. Disagreements with then-Pres. George W. Bush prompted Democratic congressional leaders to put off passage of parts of the bill where agreement couldn’t be reached.

Now, with a Democratic president in place, the bill is moving quickly. It passed the House on a heavily partisan vote Wednesday. And the Senate version of the bill is basically identical to the House version, meaning a long conference committee to work out a compromise shouldn’t be necessary, said Meredith Salsbery, communications director for Congressman Tim Walz.

“Once it goes through the Senate, it’s pretty much headed to the president,” Salsbery said.

The advance agreement between the House and Senate shows in the identical appropriations for area projects. Both the House and Senate provide nearly $1 million for upgrades to an area rail line, more than $2.3 million for Highway 14 and more than $700,000 for a renewable energy program at Minnesota State University.

The $950,000 in rail money goes to the Minnesota Valley Rail Authority, a creation of the counties served by the 95 miles of often-dilapidated railroad track between Hanley Falls in southwestern Minnesota and the western edge of the Twin Cities metro area. Upgrading the rail line is a key economic development issue for the counties, including Sibley County.

The appropriations bill includes nearly $2.4 million for the expansion of Highway 14 to four lanes between Waseca and Owatonna, an earmark that was highlighted by Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in an announcement about funding coming to the state.

The final area earmark is about $714,000 for the Minnesota Center for Renewable Energy at Minnesota State University. The center does applied research in a number of areas, including how biofuels affect vehicle performance and the potential of various plants for cellulosic ethanol production.

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