Show me the money!

Bryan Chambers of The Huntington Herald-Dispatch emailed me with this information about the federal stimulus funding for West Virginia: “The state (West Virginia) is getting a total of $1.8 billion. Of that, there is $80.7 million statewide for sewer and water projects, according to an AP story this afternoon. It appears the DEP will play a key role in determining how that money is spent. The DEP said in the AP story they will take public comment through March on what to do with the funding and assign funds to eligible projects by Aug. 17.

As for road, bridge, highway and all other infrastructure projects, the state is getting $215 million. Gov. Manchin released a list of 109 projects today that will take up the entire appropriation. In Cabell and Wayne counties, there will be a few paving contracts here and there as well as fixing some slips and slides, but there's nothing sexy in our region (I believe Christian Alexandersen is preparing a full list of road projects for tomorrow's paper). The largest funded project was an expansion for the East Beckley bypass ($30 million). Manchin also noted in the story that because of restrictions in the stimulus bill, approximately 70 percent of the state's roads and bridges were not even eligible for stimulus funding. Therefore, I am assuming that most projects, such as the Old Main Corridor, that local communities hoped would get funding never had a shot to begin with.

West Virginia’s estimated share of the federal stimulus is nearly $1.8 billion. About $323.6 million is devoted to the highway projects and other key infrastructure work, and in the process creates, or saves, jobs.

That infrastructure funding also includes $80.7 million for water, sewer and storm system projects. The Department of Environmental Protection must submit a plan by Friday for spending that portion, Manchin Public Policy Director Lara Ramsburg said Tuesday. WV DEP Secretary Randy Huffman told the House Finance Committee later Tuesday that his agency would seek public comment on that plan through March, and assign the funds to eligible projects by Aug. 17. Those will all either begin construction, or be under contract, by Feb. 16, 2010, he said.”

(Thanks to Bryan for making us aware of how the stimulus funding will flow into our state and area.)