Centenary Benefits from Omnibus Appropriation Bill

College to receive $500,000 as part of $17 million for northwest LA projects.

Proposed Science Building

SHREVEPORT, La. — Almost $17 million is coming to northwest Louisiana for projects as a result of the omnibus appropriations bill President Obama signed this week.

The money is part of about $46 million overall for projects throughout the state, a release from U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu's office says.

Millions more were leveraged through key legislative provisions and competitive grant programs included in the bill, said Landrieu, a Democrat and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The bill contains $500,000 for Centenary College's health laboratory construction project to make investments in infrastructure and technology. The first phase is to construct a building near the southeast corner of the campus to provide an additional 60,000 square feet for its science division. The project is expected to create at least 200 construction and 100 full-time jobs.

Barksdale Air Force Base also benefitted from the appropriations bill. The base will receive $12.8 million as part of ongoing and final repairs on its 50-year-old parking ramp.

Landrieu also noted funds for four transportation projects in northwest Louisiana.

Congress directed $750,000 for the construction of Interstate 49 from Shreveport to Arkansas; $750,000 for the construction of Interstate 69 from Texas through Shreveport to Arkansas; $838,300 for the Bossier congestion relief plan, which will improve existing roads and develop new corridors in the parish; and $500,000 for the Interstate 20 transportation corridor program in Lincoln. The last project consists of planning and construction of an interchange and Frontage Road improvements along I-20 in that parish.

Other northwest Louisiana projects funded include:

$300,000 for Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center's Renewing Science Education in the South project, which addresses critical needs in 21st-century education through its nationally recognized informal science education model.
$350,000 for Christus Schumpert Health System's rural health initiative in Shreveport to provide primary and preventive health care services to children and adolescents.
$194,800 for Ruston for technology infrastructure improvements such as equipment to construct the citywide broadband network to be managed and maintained by the city.

About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and has been recognized as "One of the Best 371 Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of "America's Best Colleges" and one of "America's Best Private Colleges" by Forbes.com. In 2008 Centenary College celebrated 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.