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State Representative Rod Hamilton
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5373
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS RELEASE
HAMILTON PLEASED WITH HOUSE BONDING BILL
ST. PAUL – State Representative Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) said he was pleased with the scope of the 2005 Minnesota House Capital Investment Bill, which dedicates $816 million towards infrastructure projects across the state. The bill was overwhelmingly approved recently by the Minnesota House.
“Most Minnesotans will find something worthwhile in this proposal,” Hamilton said. “The bill prioritizes jobs, transportation, higher education, public safety and the environment.”
Of local interest and importance, Hamilton pointed out that the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System would receive $2 million in state funding. Lewis and Clark will provide water service to over 200,000 people in South Dakota, Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota. The bill also includes roof improvement funding at the Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Jackson.
The legislation also provides more than $70 million to fund local road and bridge projects throughout the state, which includes $50 million for local bridge replacement and rehabilitation; $6 million for local share of trunk highway projects; and $12.5 million for local road improvement grants. The bill also sets aside $23 million for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. The CREP initiative sets aside tens of thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive agriculture land to prevent run-off into streams and rivers.
Hamilton added that one of the more controversial items in the bill, the Northstar Commuter Rail, also received funding. But Hamilton successfully amended this portion of the bill to make it more beneficial to rural Minnesotans.
Before the bill was introduced on the House floor, it was debated in the House Ways and Means Committee. Here, Hamilton and Rep. Doug Magnus (R-Slayton) offered an amendment that ordered a feasibility study to determine if biodiesel could be used to fuel the commuter rail project. The committee supported the amendment, and the requirement became part of the approved legislation.
“We needed to come up with a way for Northstar to benefit rural Minnesota,” Hamilton said. “If this study proves commuter rail can be operated with biodiesel fuel, our soybean growers will benefit.”
Hamilton said said House and Senate leaders will soon meet in a conference committee to create a compromise bonding package. This final bill will be debated by both the House and Senate, and if approved, will be sent to Governor Pawlenty for his signature.
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