From the Office of Senator Kerry

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry and Congressman Barney Frank announced today that the 2005 omnibus appropriations bill Congress passed over the weekend includes, at their urging, over $5.7 million in funding for several important New Bedford area initiatives. The bill includes funding for the following projects: • $2.975 million to complete the rehabilitation of the historic Corson Block Building, which was damaged by fire several years ago, and will be joined with the existing New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park's visitors center, creating additional exhibition and public meeting space along with expanded staff areas. The three Members of Congress had secured several earlier installments of funding to help preserve and rehabilitate the building, including $2.5 million in the 2004 appropriations bill for the initial phase of new construction. • $595,000 to continue work on New Bedford's ongoing work to upgrade the city's sewer system, in order to reduce the frequency of Combined Sewer Overflows. The federal elected officials representing the area have secured over $15 million in direct sewer funding for New Bedford over the past 11 years. • $992,000 for freight rail improvements. These funds will assist the city with its ambitious $10 million freight rail project, and help spur economic development within the port of New Bedford • $496,000 to help upgrade the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center. The Center has developed a renovation plan that will cost a total of $2.1 million, aimed at improved pediatric and maternal health services. • $372,000 to assist St. Luke's Hospital's planned comprehensive renovation of its emergency room, which will significantly upgrade both the technological capability of the E.R. and amenities for patients and their families. • $295,000 to assist in the purchase of conservation land on Nulands Neck in Fairhaven in order to help preserve the area from over-development. “This is a good day for all of us.” Kennedy said. “We have assured the funding to complete the Corson project downtown, make critical investments in health care for both the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center and St. Luke’s, and helped move the city’s bold port development plans forward. And, we are going to keep at it in the years ahead.” “These projects are good news for New Bedford,” Kerry said. “They will improve health care for our families and also help improve the local economy and environment. I am honored to have worked with Senator Kerry and Congressman Frank to help secure funding for these important projects.” "I am very pleased that we were able to include funding for these important projects in the appropriations bill,” Frank said, “The New Bedford area is facing many economic and environmental challenges, and each of these initiatives will help improve the local economy or the quality of life in the area. I will continue doing everything I can to see that the area receives its fair share of federal funding."

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