The U.S. Senate approved a catch-all funding bill Thursday that will send more than $1 million to York County for new buses, sewer infrastructure and children’s therapy.
Leg Up Farm in East Manchester Township received one of the highest allocations in York, and founder Lou Castriota of New Freedom said the $175,000 grant comes at the right time.
“It is truly a key piece to continue moving the project forward to opening our doors, and it comes at a very critical time because until this point we continue to pay for the development as we go,” Castriota said.
Plans for the $9 million center include therapy customized for children with special needs. Castriota said he hopes the center becomes a model for others across the country.
The York County Transit Authority plans to put its allotment of $100,000 toward buses that need to be replaced after 12 years in service, spokesman Richard Farr said.
“It’s about time,” he said regarding five Rabbittransit buses with up to 600,000 miles scheduled for replacement this year, to the tune of $230,000 each.
Jim Gross of the York City Sewer Authority said a $250,000 grant will help eliminate storm and rain water from the city’s sewer system to prevent unnecessary water treatment. The project, estimated to cost $1 million, will lower costs and improve water efficiency by processing only water that needs treating, Gross said.
The Senate voted Thursday on the Consolidated Appropriations bill for 2004, which rolled seven spending bills that were never finalized last year into a single $820 billion piece of legislation nearly 1,200 pages long.
THE PLANS
Several York County projects will get money from a federal spending bill approved Thursday. Listed is amount, recipient, project and which members of Congress helped the project be included in the bill.
$250,000: York City Sewer Authority, for infiltration and inflow removal infrastructure improvements (Rep. Todd Platts, R-York County)
$175,000: Leg Up Farm, for comprehensive therapy and rehabilitation for children (Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., Sen. Rich Santorum, R-Pa., Platts)
$150,000: York County Common Pleas Court, for records improvement (Platts)
$100,000: York College, for technology upgrades for the Schmidt Library (Specter, Santorum)
$100,000: Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center, for facilities renovation (Platts)
$100,000: York County Transit Authority, for new buses (Santorum, Platts)
$100,000: Springettsbury Township, for bio-solids treatment facility replacement project (Platts)
$50,000: York County Human Life Services, Inc., for abstinence education (Specter, Santorum)
$50,000: York Health Corp., for expanded services of the nurse-family partnership program (Platts)
Total: $1,075,000
By LAUREN FITZPATRICK, Medill News Service