GVSU's Lake Michigan Center, the future Muskegon home of the Annis Water Resources Institute, has moved closer to a major boost from Washington with the recent U.S. House of Representatives approval of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2001, including $600,000 for the GVSU project, Congressman Pete Hoekstra said.
The bill, which funds Army Corps of Engineer operations as well as other programs, also includes about $6 million for Corps projects along Lake Michigan in Michigan's Second Congressional District, Hoekstra said.
House members voted 301-118 to approve conference report of the appropriations bill, which is the result of negotiations between the House and Senate. Senate approval is needed before the bill can be sent to the president for final action.
This appropriations bill maintains the funding for GVSU's Lake Michigan Center that was approved by the House in June, said Hoekstra, R-Holland. This money will keep the important project to move the Annis Water Resources Institute to Muskegon on track.
When completed, GVSU's Annis Water Resource Institute will be a $5 million, 20,000-square-foot research facility with laboratories, administrative offices, conference rooms and classrooms. The facility will also be the homeport for one of the institute's research vessels, the W.G. Jackson.
In addition to the GVSU funding, Hoekstra said the bill also includes $5.9 million in funding for Army Corps of Engineers' operation and maintenance of the following West Michigan harbors:
Arcadia ($85,000)
Grand Haven ($1,264,000)
Holland ($905,000)
Ludington ($663,000)
Manistee ($272,000)
Pentwater ($450,000)
Portage Lake ($1,974,000)
White Lake ($290,000)
