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$48 million requested for Basin
Rep. Greg Walden asks for money to research salmon
disease in the Klamath River, projects at OIT
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, RO re., proposed ea r ma rk s of nearly $48 million for Klamath and Lake county projects for this coming fiscal year.
T h e r e p o r t released late last week detailed more than $260 million worth of funds for city, county, education and other agency requests in Walden’s congressional district. A full list of the earmarks is available at Walden’s Web site at www.walden. house.gov. The funds are proposed in legislation that hasn’t been approved yet.
“ It ’s pretty unique what Greg does, putting those up online,” said Andrew Whelan, Walden’s spokesman.
Earmarks are designations in legislation made toward specific groups or projects, usually through the advocacy of a lawmaker. Walden’s office said the congressman only advocates for local, county and state government agencies and nonprofits.
Funds for various projects
Funding that would benefit Klamath and Lake counties runs the gamut, from research and disease study in juvenile salmon in the Klamath River to highway and railroad improvements in Lake County.
Oregon Institute of Technology got an earmark for development of a geothermal power generation plant and lab, and Walden also sought $15 million for an armed forces reserve center in Klamath Falls for the Oregon National Guard.
Whelan said that only about 50 to 60 federal lawmakers make their earmark requests public.
