Congressman Sander Levin

Project Specific Requests for the 12th District

For many years, the process of Congressional funding requests - sometimes known as "earmarks" - lacked transparency and accountability. Since assuming the majority in 2007, Congressional Democrats have overhauled the process for requesting project-specific funding requests. For the last two years, every earmark approved by Congress included public disclosure of which Member(s) requested the money, which entity received the funds, what the funds were for, and how much money Congress approved. Members requesting earmarks must also certify that they have no financial interest in the project.

My office works with local communities and non-profit organizations to determine where there are local projects that may be assisted with targeted federal spending. Below are all of the project-specific requests my office has submitted to the Appropriations Committee this year.


Commerce, Justice, Science
Defense
Energy and Water
Financial Services
Interior/EPA
Labor/HHS/Education
Military Construction
Transportation/HUD

Commerce, Justice, Science

Macomb County Centralized Dispatch, Macomb County Emergency Management & Communications, 10 N. Main, Mount Clemens, MI, 48043

Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Funding would provide communications equipment and technology to help consolidate duplicate dispatch services for 3 EMS agencies, 24 fire agencies, and 18 police departments throughout Macomb County.

Biometric Identification Enhancement Project, Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, 1201 N. Telegraph, Pontiac, MI, 48341

Amount Requested: $625,000
Funding will be used to upgrade Oakland County’s CLEMIS CAPFIS palm print system, streamline the LiveID application to over 3,500 patrol vehicles in the field, and to purchase 62 portable biometric identification devices. The Justice Department reports 40% of crime scenes contain palm print evidence and the use of identifying technology will allow law enforcement to solve more crimes. Additionally, the ‘on the street’ technology will help officers be more efficient and rely less on suspect demographic information for identification purposes.

Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Prevention Program, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 1212 Griswold, Detroit, MI, 48226

Amount Requested: $500,000
Funding will support the United Way’s program to prevent juvenile crime and delinquency and to reduce high school drop-out rates. The program targets students at risk of dropping out of high school by partnering students with adult mentors, providing safe places for extracurricular activities, building marketable employment skills, and providing opportunities for community service. The United Way currently works with high schools throughout Southeast Michigan, including the East Detroit, Hazel Park, and Van Dyke school districts.

Edward J. Overstreet Center for Excellence in Children’s Services, Holy Cross Children’s Services, 8759 Clinton Macon Road, Clinton, Michigan, 49236

Amount Requested: $250,000
Funding will be used to support the Center’s activities, primarily the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data related to policies and services for youth in the Juvenile Justice system.

Defense

Automatic Data Organization for Vehicle and Diagnostic Systems, BOSSdev, Inc., 300 Maple Park Blvd., St. Clair Shores, MI, 48081.

Amount requested: $1.5 million
This funding will support a cooperative research and development project between BOSSdev, Inc., and the Computer Science Program at Lawrence Technological University to develop a web-based, collaborative software platform that will significantly improve the way in which the Army manages vehicle parts and maintenance. The Army currently does not have a central software tool that can effectively link the dozens of databases that track everything from parts requisitions to diagnostic failures. These databases often use different database technologies and each database is typically maintained and fed data from different organizations. This results in separate "stove pipes" of information. This project will create new software that will utilize a clustering engine to look at all available data and recommend groupings much like an internet search engine recommends web pages based on a search. This clustering of data will help experts make sense of disparate sets of data that currently exist in a linear, unlinked format.

Cancer Vaccine Development Center (CVDC), Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201.

Amount requested: $3.085 million
The funding will be used by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute or its Cancer Vaccine Development Center (CVDC) to develop technology and therapeutic products that will allow for the vaccinations of humans, including military service members, to prevent and treat cancer. In the Department of Defense beneficiary population, more than 355,000 patients undergo treatment or follow-up for cancer each year. The cost of treating cancer represents a major expense for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare, our nation's servicemen and women, and millions of Americans who are diagnosed with cancer. As is the case with DoD's other cancer research efforts, the benefits of a successful cancer vaccine would help prevent and treat cancer both in the military and throughout the U.S. population.

Dynamometer Facility Upgrade Program TARDEC - Phase II, AVL Instrumentation and Test Systems, Inc., 47519 Halyard Drive, Plymouth, MI 48170.

Amount requested: $4.5 million
The funding will be used to continue to upgrade the dynamometer equipment at TARDEC in Warren, Michigan. The TARDEC test facility dynamometers are not modern and have experienced numerous ad-hoc improvements over the years. Furthermore, success of the U.S. Army's ability to meet mission requirements is greatly dependent upon the ability to evaluate designs of current and future powertrains, components, and the effects that added armor and equipment have on current and future fleets.

NAVAIR Project for Land/Sea-Based Air Systems Maintenance and Air Worthiness (PLASMA), Focus: HOPE, 1355 Oakman Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48238.

Amount requested: $3 million
The funding will be used by Focus: HOPE to develop thermal barrier coating systems for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Focus: HOPE's investigations of NAVAIR's needs indicate that additional technologies such as thermal/plasma spraying and physical/chemical vapor deposition would also be highly suitable for NAVAIR components, thereby removing several limitations of current processes in use by NAVAIR. For example, these spray and vapor deposition technologies could produce thermal barrier coatings to enhance the durability and performance of many high temperature aerospace and air warfare components. In order to carry out these activities, Focus: HOPE plans to assemble a team of its employees/students and experts from NAVAIR, industry and academia to take the lead in executing the tasks.

On-Demand Custom Body Implants/Prosthesis for Injured Personnel, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48128.

Amount requested: $3 million
The funding will be used by the University of Michigan-Dearborn to continue to develop a state of the art planning, designing and on-demand manufacturing system for custom implants/prosthesis, based on medical images and CAD data using Solid Free-form Fabrication technique (SFF). Individualized implants/prostheses provide better durability and functionality compared to off-the-shelf implants. This ongoing medical research effort is especially important to respond to the elevated cases of limb amputations affecting military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The demonstration of a rapid manufacturing platform will reduce the long lead times and costs currently involved with fabrication of prostheses.

Protective 3-D Armor Structure to Safeguard Military Vehicles and Troops, Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West Ten Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48075.

Amount requested: $2 million
The funding will be used by Lawrence Technological University to develop Protective 3-D Armor Structures to Safeguard Military Vehicles and Troops, especially as it pertains to the Future Combat Systems (FCS). Working with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) a unique and innovative 3-D Armor Structure will be researched, designed, developed, fabricated, tested and readied for deployment. This 3-D Armor Structure is targeted to be superior in design, weight, and durability than current armor designs and technology. Deployment of this high-strength lower-weight 3-D Armor Structure is designed to provide the badly needed protection for U.S. military vehicles against serious threats, especially those being developed for the Future Combat Systems (FCS).

Energy and Water

Clinton River Environmental Restoration, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.

Amount requested: $285,000
The funding will be used to study the operation of the inflatable weir for the purpose of reducing sedimentation in the Clinton River.

Greening of Warren Police Department Headquarters, City of Warren, One City Square, Suite 215, Warren, MI 48093

Amount requested: $1 million
The funding will be used by the City of Warren to implement green technologies and energy efficiency upgrades at the Warren Police Department, including the installation of a green roof, installation of interior and exterior lighting, and upgrades to the heating and cooling system. The project will significantly reduce operational costs for this public facility.

Implementing the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair Comprehensive Management Plan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.

Amount requested: $3 million
The funding will be used to implement priority restoration projects that are consistent with the St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair Management Plan, which the Corps of Engineers completed in 2005. There projects will be developed through a partnership between the Corps of Engineers, state agencies, local officials and other stakeholders.

United Way Energy Efficient Building Project, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 1212 Griswold Street, Detroit, Michigan 48226.

Amount requested: $260,000
The funding will be used by United Way of Southeastern Michigan to assist two other community non-profits to make energy efficiency and insulation upgrades at their facilities. The two organizations are Turning Point of Mount Clemens, MI, a domestic violence shelter, as well as the Macomb County Rotating Shelter Team (MCREST), a coalition of churches that provide overnight shelter to homeless persons and families.

Financial Services

Macomb County Business Accelerator, Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development, 1 South Main, 7th Floor, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043.

Amount Requested: $843,000
The request would be used to support the operations of the newly created Macomb County Business Accelerator during an initial start up period. Macomb County, MI is experiencing severe economic distress due to the downturn in the domestic automotive industry. The county has recognized for some time the need to provide leadership during this ongoing economic transformation, and to support manufacturing businesses and their need to diversify into fields beyond the automotive sector. In response to this urgent need, the county has created the Macomb County Business Accelerator to assist entrepreneurs and existing companies to allow them to either start and grow high demand business in new industries or to reposition and expand their current business to serve other industries, particularly defense and homeland security, which have been identified by Macomb County and the State of Michigan as viable and emerging growth sectors.

WSU Macomb Entrepreneurship Center, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202.

Amount Requested: $600,000
The WSU School of Business Administration is committed to supporting the economic transformation of Macomb County, which is experiencing severe economic distress due to the downturn in the automotive industry. Entrepreneurship is a critical component of ongoing efforts to diversify the local economy beyond the automotive sector. The Center for Entrepreneurship will help the Macomb County campus to recruit more students interested in starting their own businesses, to educate them in entrepreneurship and to support them in becoming successful entrepreneurs who will contribute to the revitalization of the region's economy. To this end, funding will be used to establish an Entrepreneurship Center in connection with Macomb Community College, including: Program Development and Implementation, an Internship Program, and Business Consulting Services.

Interior/EPA

Oakland/Macomb Interceptor, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, One Public Works Drive, Building 95, Waterford, MI 48328.

Amount requested: $5 million
The funding will be used to assist Oakland and Macomb Counties to repair and rehabilitate the Oakland/Macomb Interceptor. The Interceptor is a large, 21.4 mile sewer that is the sole conduit that transports sanitary sewage from over 300,000 residents of Oakland and Macomb Counties to the City of Detroit for treatment.

Chapaton Retention Basin Improvements, 8 1/2 Mile Relief Drain Drainage District, 23001 East Nine Mile Road, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.

Amount requested: $1.65 million
The funding will be used to upgrade the Chapaton Retention Treatment Basin in St. Clair Shores and improve water quality in the Lake St. Clair watershed. The Chapaton facilities constitute the largest CSO control structure discharging into Lake St. Clair. The facility is over 40 years old and the proposed improvements will modernize the design and treatment capabilities to meet higher water quality standards and reduce overflows as well as the need for chlorination.

Illicit Discharge Elimination Program, Macomb County Health Department, 43525 Elizabeth Road, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043.

Amount requested: $330,000
The funding will be used by the Macomb County Health Department to conduct Illicit Discharge Elimination Programs in order to identify and eliminate sources of wastewater discharges to the rivers and tributaries impacting the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. Similar programs in other parts of the County prevented approximately 70 million gallons per year of wastewater from discharging into Macomb County surface water and Lake St. Clair.

Lake Huron to Lake Erie Water Monitoring and Protection Network, Macomb County Health Department, Macomb County Health Department, 43525 Elizabeth Road, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043.

Amount requested: $635,250
The funding will be used to continue and enhance the system of drinking water monitoring at water intakes from Port Huron to Lake Erie. This monitoring system helps protect the drinking water quality of nearly four million people living in Southeastern Michigan.

Older Urban Areas - Lathrup Village, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, One Public Works Drive, Building 95, Waterford, MI 48328.

Amount requested: $1 million
The funding will be used to identify and eliminate sources of sewage in that is currently escaping from the old sewer infrastructure into storm drains and creeks in Lathrup Village, Michigan. The age of the water infrastructure often results in storm water drainage being routed into sanitary sewers. The funding will be used to eliminate excess storm water infiltration sources, correct illicit connections, and prioritize long-term infrastructure repair.

Labor/HHS/Education

Center of Excellence in Aerospace Defense, Macomb Community College, 7900 Tank Ave., Warren, MI, 48092

Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Funding will help Macomb Community College train displaced workers in the aerospace and defense industries, one of the fastest growing fields in Macomb County. The Center aims to create a pipeline of workers in this field and is partnering extensively with neighbouring universities, military facilities, businesses and suppliers, and worker training organizations to develop training programs to meet the industries’ workforce needs.

Chessed Health Care Coordination Project, Jewish Family Services, 6555 West Maple Road, Bloomfield, MI 48322

Amount Requested: $750,000
Funding will be used to expand a referral program that connects uninsured individuals with health care providers and institutions that will provide them with donated care. The program seeks to provide needed health care to individuals while decreasing inappropriate and Emergency Room use for non-emergent care. The project will coordinate care for participating patients to facilitate access to over 600 individual volunteer providers and partner institutions.

Diabetes Care and Support Program, Henry Ford Health System, 1 Ford Place, Detroit, Michigan, 48202

Amount Requested: $200,000
Funding will be used to provide coordinated diabetes care management services, with a focus on assisting high-risk, uninsured patients. Patients will be offered a diabetes care management plan with case management services, to include telephone and email contact. The goal of the project is to support the patients and encourage self-care and nutrition that will stabilize glucose levels and bring them within normal ranges. The project will leverage the Henry Ford Health System’s electronic medical record and patient website capabilities to identify patients with diabetes who are most appropriate for the planned interventions.

Emerging Sectors Initiative, Oakland County Department of Development and Community Affairs, 2100 N. Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI, 48328

Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Funding would support workforce training activities in emerging employment sectors designed by a multi-sector partnership between educational institutions, local government, worker training programs, and businesses throughout Oakland County. This project targets workforce development in newly commercialized technologies identified as high-demand and high-growth employment fields.

Expansion of Communities of Early Learning, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 1212 Griswold, Detroit, MI, 48226

Amount Requested: $500,000
Funding would train informal caregivers in early childhood development. United Way is planning to develop Communities of Early Learning sites in at-risk neighbourhoods in Hazel Park, Roseville, and Warren and estimates, when fully operational, these sites will be able to provide services to 400 to 600 early childhood education and care providers.

FernCare Free Clinic, Citizens for a Fair Ferndale, 445 West Woodruff, Hazel Park, MI 48030

Amount Requested: $150,000
Funding will be used to establish a free health clinic in Ferndale, Michigan. The health center, to be called FernCare Free Clinic, will provide non-emergency medical and mental health care, generic medication distribution, community resources referral, and dental health services. The clinic will focus on providing care to those who are uninsured and not served by other facilities or programs.

Model International Education Program for Community Colleges, Oakland Community College, 2480 Opdyke Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 48304

Amount Requested: $500,000
Funding would assist Oakland Community College’s development of a model international education program to serve as a pilot for other community colleges. This model program aims to meet the unique needs of community college students by expanding international curriculum, providing international experiences for students and faculty who are normally constrained from participating in traditional study abroad programs, identifying opportunities for faculty involvement, and hosting seminars on international topics.

Providence Hospital and Medical Center Computerized Provider Order Entry System, St. John Health, 28000 Dequindre, Warren, MI 48092

Amount Requested: $3 million
Funding will be used to upgrade the existing electronic medical record system at Providence Hospital and Medical Center by adding Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE). The CPOE system will enable physicians to electronically enter instructions for the treatment of patients that will communicated over a computer network to the medical staff (nurses, therapists, pharmacists, or other physicians) or to the departments (pharmacy, laboratory or radiology) responsible for fulfilling the order. CPOE is an important component to a high-performing electronic medical record system.

Military Construction

ADAL A-10 SQUAD OPS FACILITY - B/34, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Macomb County, Michigan

Amount requested: $6.2 million
The funding will be used to renovate and repair Building 34 at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan. Building 34 was originally constructed in 1988, and currently houses the 127th Wing's A-10 Squadron Operations and a portion of the Survival Equipment function. Existing interior areas are not properly configured. Existing electrical, mechanical, roofing, and support systems are quickly approaching their useful life expectancy and are insufficient to accommodate the needed facility expansion. Current facility accommodations, and the significant resulting space deficiencies and geographic sprawl, negatively impact the daily mission accomplishment of these critical A-10 Operations and Maintenance functions.

Transportation/HUD

Hazel Park Business & Community Center, City of Hazel Park, 111 E. Nine Mile, Hazel Park, MI, 48030

Amount Requested: $89,000
Funding would renovate an unused school building for use as a municipal center for community and cultural activities and to house a business incubator to develop local entrepreneurship.

Wayne State-Macomb County Education Center, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202

Amount Requested: $500,000
Funding would renovate the former Macomb County Library into an educational facility and research center with classrooms for undergraduate and graduate programs, student services including on-site admissions and advising, a library for the blind and physically handicapped, and a public reference and research center. This will expand access to higher education in Macomb County as well as preserve public access to the library.

Mount Clemens non-motorized trail along North-bound Gratiot, Macomb County, 1 South Main Street, Mount Clemens, MI, 48043

Amount Requested: $575,000
Funding would replace a deteriorated sidewalk that accesses downtown Mount Clemens and Shady Side Park, as well as connect to the regional Metropolitan Trail.

Pedestrian Improvements to Van Dyke Avenue, City of Warren, One City Square, Suite 215, Warren, MI, 48093

Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Funding would create pedestrian improvements to Van Dyke Avenue between 8 Mile and Stephens and between I-696 and 14 Mile. Such improvements include the addition of bike lanes and pedestrian trails, signage, lighting, bus shelters, and a pedestrian overpass to provide safe, convenient access to major facilities in this area, particularly the Warren Community Center, the Civic Center, and the General Motors Technological Center.

Livernois Street Improvements and Pedestrian Enhancements, City of Ferndale, 300 E. Nine Mile, Ferndale, MI, 48220

Amount Requested: $1,477,000
Funding would convert a half-mile stretch of Livernois Street between Eight Mile and Marshall to a four-lane pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly boulevard. A bike lane would be added to each side of Livernois to connect to existing lanes north of Marshall, creating bicycle access to Woodward Avenue, the Detroit Zoo, and Woodward-corridor communities. The ramps and landings of bike and pedestrian lanes would be improved at all intersections for better accessibility.

Corrosion-Free Bridge System, Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West Ten Mile, Southfield, MI, 48075

Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Funding would be used to conduct research, develop technology, test, and implement a Corrosion-Free Bridge System for a safer, longer-lasting surface transportation infrastructure. Such a bridge system would create stronger, lighter, economical, corrosion-free, low-maintenance, and durable structural bridges. The program combines research done through USDOT, MDOT, and Lawrence Tech.

Creating a North American World Trade Hub in the Detroit Region, Detroit Regional Chamber, One Woodward Avenue, Suite 1900, Detroit, MI, 48232

Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Funding would allow for a study of the flow of goods and people through the Detroit-Windsor corridor, including a comprehensive freight study, to better develop economic activities related to Detroit’s unique capabilities as a global supply chain hub. Funds would also be used to train workers and upgrade infrastructure to support better efficiency and connectivity for moving goods from the Detroit region to global markets.

Intelligent Transportation System Enhancements, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), 535 Griswold, Detroit, MI, 48226

Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Funding would provide satellite tracking to SMART’s bus fleet, allowing automated destination messages and verbal updates to riders on the bus’s destination status. This tracking capability will help SMART better plan routes and adjust schedules to meet ridership needs. Funding will also be used for integrated destination signs, on-board security cameras, and automated passenger counters.

Reconstruction of Southfield Road between 11 Mile and 12 Mile in Lathrup Village, Michigan, Road Commission for Oakland County, 31001 Lahser, Beverly Hills, MI, 48025

Amount Requested: $10,000,000
Funding would reconstruct a one-mile stretch of Southfield Road in Lathrup Village to a four lane boulevard. Expansion of Southfield Road would improve capacity and safety features in both directions, including better access to and from I-696.

Traffic Crash Analysis Tool, Traffic Improvement Association, 2187 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 140, Sylvan Lake, MI, 48320

Amount Requested: $350,000
Funding would upgrade Traffic Crash Analysis Tool software and equipment and make data and analyses available to all communities in Michigan. Improved software will allow analysts to better collect traffic crash data electronically, include programming costs in reports, and make format changes and enhancements to reports.