The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency is set to receive a $6.7 million funding boost if President Bush signs the federal omnibus appropriations bill.

Denmark's Voorhees College, Claflin University and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety are among the other local entities earmarked to receive funds in the federal spending bill.

That was the word from Sixth District U.S. Congressman and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., Thursday evening.

With the omnibus appropriations bill receiving final congressional approval Wednesday, all of the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills are completed and include more than $65 million, which Clyburn has secured for various South Carolina requests.

"This omnibus package puts our government back on track by funding priorities that are important to the American people," Clyburn said. "These funding priorities include increasing Pell grants, funding after-school and early childhood education programs, investing in alternative energy sources and addressing long neglected infrastructure needs."

The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency is hoping to create a regional water system that includes a $30 million water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Marion with state-owned utility Santee Cooper as manager of the system. The massive project will target water infrastructure needs and provide water to municipalities in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Dorchester, Clarendon, Sumter and Berkeley counties. Elloree, Holly Hill, Santee, Summerton, Manning and Harleyville are the towns included in the project's first phase.

LMRWA Chairman Johnnie Wright said the agency will be able to complete the water treatment plant and tie water lines to the town of Santee and to the agency's water tank, which is located in the town, with the $6.7 million set aside in the appropriations bill.

"I am very excited. I've called and let (congressional) staff know in e-mails how much I appreciate everything they've done up there," Wright said, including Clyburn and S.C. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

"I'm very inclusive of everyone for working together as a team to make this happen. I'm very much appreciative for all that they're doing and everyone else for their hard work and due diligence to ensure that South Carolina and Orangeburg County are getting their fair share of what needs to be done," Wright said.

The bill also includes Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations for Voorhees College and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Voorhees is set to receive $470,000 for a program to eliminate violence against women while the ODPS is poised to receive $282,000 in funds to support its gang intervention/methamphetamine abuse initiatives.

In the area of defense funding, $2 million has been earmarked for Claflin University for a project involving the detection and remediation response to biological and chemical weapons. A Bamberg defense company, DefenseCS Inc., is also set to receive $2 million to support their efforts in developing antiballistic wi-ield armor for military vehicles used in combat.

Energy-Water funding has also been set aside for Claflin University to the tune of $500,000 for a biofuel production initiative. In addition, the state's historically black colleges and universities are earmarked to received $10.5 million for math and science initiatives.

"That's a pot of money that all of the HBCUs in South Carolina can apply for," said Hope Derrick, Clyburn's press secretary. "It will be awarded on a competitive basis, and the money will be used to improve math and science facilities at those institutions."

Voorhees College is also set to receive $131,000 in health funding for a demonstration program on reversing diabetes in minority communities.

In the area of homeland security, the S.C. Adjutant General Office of Emergency Preparedness will receive $3 million to develop evacuation centers in Santee and Manning.

"Those funds are for an evacuation facility that will serve coastal residents. It's still a work in progress, something that will have to be worked out in consultation with the emergency preparedness folks and town and county officials, but the purpose is to develop and evacuation center," Derrick said.

In addition to these specific projects, the Interior Appropriations Bill includes language that ensures all new Heritage Corridors, including the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, will each receive $150,000 in federal funding for FY 2008.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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