Tuesday, July 20
July 20, 2010Thursday, July 22
July 22, 2010The Tri-parishes combined for almost $56.1 million in 41 first-year appropriations and $12.1 million for 10 additional projects in second- and fifth-year appropriations in the state capital outlay bill, according to bills contained in HB2 of the 2010 Legislative session.
Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes were also part of four multi-parish Priority 1 appropriations totaling $64.4 million. St. Mary received an added boon of $10.5 million from second Priority 1 multi-parish appropriation.
And Lafourche and Terrebonne yielded $3.35 million in first-year funding for a pair of construction projects.
HB2 was approved during the just-ended Legislative session. Gov. Bobby Jindal signed the bill into law, giving the go-ahead to some 850 construction projects – valued at $4.5 billion.
Jindal vetoed only eight projects, which amounted to a $20.1 million savings.
The breakout of approved projects by parish follows:
8 Lafourche Parish Priority 1 Projects
• $1 million for planning and construction of a canal pumping station;
• $650,000 to upgrade an emergency generator for the Metropolitan Developmental Center;
• $75,000 for improvements to the E.D. White Historic Site;
• $100,000 for an emergency generator for the Lockport wastewater treatment plant;
• $500,000 to replace Tiger Drive bridge in Thibodaux;
• $1 million to the North Lafourche Conservation Levee and Drainage District for improvements to the Lockport and Larose levee and Parr pumping stations;
• $300,000 for the South Louisiana Development Council for the Center for Economic Growth and Technology;
• $14.9 million to renovate Beauregard Hall at Nicholls State University;
• $260,000 for Phase 3 electrical upgrades at NSU.
Lafourche Parish is also included in $24 million – with $1.1 million in local matching funds and $3.5 million in federal matching funds – of Priority 1 approriations for a flood study from Donaldsonville to the Gulf of Mexico.
The parish is also included in a statewide project to repair roofs at state colleges and universities.
8 Lafourche Priority 2 (Second Year) Appropriations
• $700,000 for the Culinary Arts instruction building at NSU;
• $75,000 for the E.D. White Historic Site;
• $150,000 for a multi-purpose building at Golden Meadow;
• $950,000 to widen La. Highway 20 in Thibodaux;
• $75,000 for the Center for Economic Grown and Technology.
8 Lafourche Priority 5 (Fifth-Year) Appropriations –
• $5 million for the Culinary Arts instruction building at NSU;
• $740,000 to replace Tiger Drive bridge;
• $740,000 to widen La. Highway 20.
8 Terrebonne Parish Priority 1 Appropriations
• $1 million for a feasibility study on deepening the Houma Navigational Canal;
• $1.77 million for a medical records storage building;
• $985,000 for an administrative building for the South Louisiana Human Services Authority;
• $25,000 to renovate the Terrebonne Mental Health Center;
• $250,000 for construction of a levee around the Chabert Medical Center;
• $420,000 for elevator upgrades at Chabert Medical Center;
• $13 million – with a $500,000 cash or in-kind match – for the Terrebonne Port Commission for bulkhead and land improvements, bank stabilization, navigational improvements, a dry dock slip and other related infrastructure improvements;
• $720,000 for construction of a Bayou Terrebonne boardwalk;
• $250,000 for land acquisition for Thompson Road extension;
• $370,000 for a diesel marine, welding and transportation building for Fletcher Technical Community College. (Fletcher also received Priority 2 monies for this project.)
8St. Mary Priority 1 Appropriations
• $640,000 to the St. Mary Parish Levee District for the Franklin Canal levee and floodgate project;
• $300,000 for recreational improvements at Kemper Williams Park;
• $200,000 for infrastructure improvements at Charenton Canal Industrial Park;
• $820,000 for an access road from Baker Hughes to Port Road in Morgan City ($200,000 local match required);
• $100,000 for St. Mary Parish Sewage District No. 5 sewer lift station improvements;
• $180,000 for DeGravelle Access Road to the Duhon Bi-Pass Road in Amelia;
• $125,000 for drainage improvements in the Columbia Subdivision near Franklin;
• $1.925 million to replace the Plantation pump station for Drainage District No. 1 and Gravity Drainage District No. 2;
• $125,000 for the Cajun Coast Welcome Center and Tower Overlook;
• $1.03 million for a fire station and public service center in Baldwin;
• $50,000 for sewer rehabilitation on Oregon, Knight, Robichaux, and Jeddo streets and Driskill Drive;
• $60,000 for Teche Theatre repairs in Franklin;
• $3.59 million for Brashear Avenue drainage canal conversion to subsurface drainage in Morgan City;
• $1 million for reconstruction of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Morgan City;
• $300,000 for a docking facility on Lake Palourde in Morgan City;
• $100,000 for Catherine Street paving and drainage in Patterson;
• $1.45 million for the Teche Action Board for expansions and renovations to the Franklin location and for purchase and renovation of an existing building;
• $560,000 for additions and modifications for the St. Mary Community Action Agency offices;
• $100,000 for the Chez Hope Domestic Violence Program for building improvements for the emergency family shelter facility.
8 St. Mary Priority 5 Appropriations
• $2 million for the Charenton Canal Industrial Park infrastructure improvements;
• $1 million for the Cajun Coast Welcome Center and Tower Overlook;
• $500,000 to reconstruct Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Morgan City.
St. Mary will also share in three multi-parish Priority 1 appropriations – totaling $64.4 million in projects. Among them are:
• $24.255 million to the Office of Coastal Protection & Restoration for a Morganza-to-the-Gulf flood-control feasibility study (requires local $100 million and $25 million in-kind matches). Ascension, Assumption, Iberia, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin and West Baton Rouge parishes are included in the project.
• $17.85 million for dock improvements, office space and housing (requires $29.85 million in-kind match). The project also includes Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge parishes.
• $22.3 million to extend Interstate-49 to I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas line and from Lafayette to the Westbank Expressway. This project also involves Caddo, Lafayette, Iberia, St. Martin, St. Charles and Jefferson parishes.
Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes will also share in three Priority 1 projects totaling $4.45 million.
• $3 million to relocate the state Department of Transportation and Development’s sub-district headquarters.
• $350,000 to relocate the DOTD Office of Engineering.
• $1.1 million for the Lighthouse for the Blind economic development project. Also includes Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. Tammany and Washington parishes.
• $10.48 million for Atchafalaya Basin protection and enhancement. The eight parishes – St. Mary, Assumption, Avoyelles, Iberia, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry and St. Martin – will receive an additional $3 million in Priority 2 monies.
Despite looming budget deficits, the state Legislature passed a number of capital outlay projects, including $28 million to Jefferson Parish for a performing arts center and another $17 million for a sports complex; $6.6 million for a New Orleans City Park golf complex; $6.1 million for a Calcasieu Parish golf course; $20 million for the Bogue Chitto State Park; and $6.9 million for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Millions more were OK’d for community water and sewer projects, courthouse renovations, community centers and parish road repair and construction.
The Capital Outlay Bill as well as HB76, which contained $33 million in pet projects, were funded in part through the state’s rainy-day fund – monies generally reserved for state emergencies such as hurricanes.
Jindal cut less than $2 million from HB76, leaving in place $31 million in pork projects. Higher education, meanwhile, sustained $300 million in budgetary cuts.
