2021 Funding Requests
Project Name: MRB South GBR: LA 1 to LA 30 Connector (Environmental Evaluation)
Location of the Project: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Ascension Parishes)
Project Sponsor: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Requested Amount: $1.6 million
Project Name: MRB South GBR: LA 1 to LA 30 Connector (Pre-Engineering Design)
Location of the Project: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Ascension Parishes)
Project Sponsor: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Requested Amount: $8 million
Project Name: MRB South GBR: LA 1 to LA 30 Connector (Full Federal Funding)
Location of the Project: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Ascension Parishes)
Project Sponsor: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Requested Amount: $945,600,000
Project Name: Audubon Avenue Overlay LA-1 to Terrebonne Parish Line
Location of the Project: Audubon Avenue; Thibodaux, LA
Project Sponsor: City of Thibodaux
Requested Amount: $468,510.40
Project Name: Early Cancer Detection Mobile Medical Clinic
Request Amount: $775,000
Intended Recipient: Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
Intended Recipient Address:4950 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Project Description:
The Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center requested $775,000 in fiscal year 2022 to support the purchase and deployment of a mobile medical clinic to provide five different types of cancer screenings throughout rural areas of 36 parishes in Louisiana. By offering mobile, no-cost-to-patient colorectal, skin, prostate, breast, and oral cavity screenings, Louisiana residents in rural areas and with limited access will be able to receive lifesaving screenings, a valuable use of taxpayer funds.
Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in Louisiana. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer patients pay roughly $4 billion in out-of-pocket costs nationwide. Another $87 billion is spent on cancer-related health care by employers, insurance companies, and taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Detecting cancer early greatly reduces the financial impact of cancer treatments and drastically improves survivability and positive long-term outcomes for patients.
Project Name: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit Consolidation of Facilities
Request Amount: $35,100,000
Intended Recipient: USDA, Agricultural Research Service
Intended Recipient Address: 501 Bull Run Road, Schriever, LA 70395
Project Description:
$35,100,000 in funding is requested to construct a joint office and laboratory building as well as two greenhouse facilities, all of which have already been planned and designed, for the USDA Agricultural Research Service Sugarcane Research Unit. The construction of these buildings will allow the Sugarcane Research Unit to complete the consolidation of its operations from an out of an out-of-code, structurally and mechanically inadequate, 80-year-old building to a state-of-the-art facility which maximizes existing taxpayer investment at the Ardoyne Farm site. An effort which was begun with FY2004 appropriations.
Agriculture is critical to the economy of the state of Louisiana and sugarcane is one of the most valuable crops, boasting receipts with an overall economic value of $3 billion annually. The Sugarcane Research Unit supports this critical industry by researching and developing improved varieties of sugarcane, expanding the cropping range, developing environmentally friendly production strategies, and combatting a constantly evolving pest complex that includes diseases, insects, and weeds.
Project Name: Center for Excellence in Military Health and Performance Enhancement
Request Amount: $3,566,666
Intended Recipient: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Intended Recipient Address: 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Project Description:
Pennington Biomedical Research Center requested $3,566,666 in fiscal year 2022 to establish a Center of Excellence in Military Health and Nutrition to continue their research in warfighter resilience and health science. Expanding upon an ongoing, 32-year research partnership between PBRC and the Department of Defense, this funding would support the first year of a five-year study to optimize soldier’s performance and physical and mental resilience. Ensuring that our military service members are healthy, ready for deployment, and able to withstand the stress of extended warfare is a priority for each of our military branches.
This project is a valuable use of taxpayer resources, in Louisiana and nationally, because its discoveries will improve the health of military servicemembers, other first responders, and their families. In Louisiana, it will support the transition to a knowledge-based economy by providing funding for the technical and scientific personnel who will execute the research tasks. By discoveries advanced by this research, Pennington will support health and performance improvement of Louisiana citizens who are members of the military, including the men and women of the Louisiana National Guard. It will also support Army readiness of junior cadets enrolled in the Louisiana National Guard program.
Project Name: Rapid DNA System
Request Amount: $685,100
Intended Recipient: East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office
Intended Recipient Address: 8900 Jimmy Wedell Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Project Description:
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office (EBRSO) requested $685,100 in fiscal year 2022 to support the purchase of a Rapid DNA system and subsequent training of investigators to increase access to Rapid DNA testing and provide quicker crime resolutions where time is a critical factor. By supporting EBRSO’s procurement of this system, law enforcement officials and investigators will better serve the citizens of Louisiana by increasing the state’s forensic capability.
From 2019 to 2020, East Baton Rouge had a 42% increase in homicide and a 23% increase in non-fatal shootings with injuries; data collected after the first three months of 2021 indicates an even higher increase in violent crimes in East Baton Rouge Parish when compared 2020 data. Currently, the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Crime Lab processes and triages DNA casework for all 13 parishes of Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District. Of those 13 parishes, East Baton Rouge generates the highest number of cases by a significant amount. Funding this project would substantially lessen the burden on the LSP Crime Lab to process DNA Casework and expand access to the state’s forensic resources to multiple enforcement entities, therefore providing faster crime resolutions and speeding the efficiency of our justice systems.
Project Name: Less-Than-Lethal Technology Training Center
Request Amount: $2,300,604.59
Intended Recipient: Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, Office of State Police
Intended Recipient Address: 7919 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Project Description:
The Louisiana Office of State Police requested $2,300,604.59 to establish a Less-Than-Lethal Technology Training Center in Louisiana. LSP has experience providing training to thousands of personnel from hundreds of agencies from around the world at their state-of-the-art training facility, the Joint Emergency Services Training Center (JESTC). The project funding would fund two Law Enforcement Symposiums focusing on De-Escalation, Use of Force Tactics, Less Than Lethal Weapons Uses, and Advanced Scenario training as well as the purchase of twelve Virtual Reality Scenario-Based Training Platforms. The symposiums and the trainings enabled by the V/R technology will allow the LSP to use their expertise to certify officers from departments across the state, region, country, and world that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the training or lack the expertise to administer the training themselves. Providing the highest-quality training to our law enforcement community will support taxpayers both in Louisiana and throughout the country.
Project Name: City of Gonzales CARE Center
Request Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Gonzales
Intended Recipient Address: 120 South Irma Blvd. Gonzales, LA 70737
Project Description:
The CARE Center will feature a full gymnasium, individual classroom and activity areas, and administration spaces and will partner with area health care providers and civic organizations to provide services to the Ascension Parish community. The project will add a much-needed community programming space in Ascension Parish, Louisiana and was adopted in the city's Strategic Economic Development Plan, a grassroots-driven plan directed by citizens, businesses, and civic organizations serving the city, in July of 2018.
Project Name: The Resilience Lab
Request Amount: $2,000,000
Intended Recipient: The Water Institute of the Gulf
Intended Recipient Address: 1110 River Road, Suite 200, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802
Project Description:
The Resilience Lab is an initiative which will focus on resilience in the urban core of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a mid-sized metropolitan area that experienced record flooding in 2016 and remains subject to weather-related risks. Recognizing the impact of evolving natural conditions on urban communities, the Institute seeks to collaborate with the City of Baton Rouge and the Center for Planning Excellence to prepare for future extreme events and adapt to chronic stresses by best management practices, education and training among public sector leadership. The Resilience Lab likewise seeks to identify improvements to existing infrastructure and propose innovations for new infrastructure to help keep Baton Rouge neighborhoods viable and vibrant.