[StBernard] Senate approves $1.2B coastal restoration measure

[Westley Annis]

Senate approves $1.2B coastal restoration measure

WASHINGTON - The Senate today approved an amendment to the Budget
Reconciliation Act that would provide $1.2 billion for coastal restoration
efforts in the Gulf states. 

The money would be in addition to the $200 million announced last week for
coastal restoration for states affected by hurricanes and disasters. 
Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter jointly announced passage of the
amendment this morning. 

The funding in this amendment would come from the sale of analog spectrum
that will become available upon the transition to digital television. The
Congressional Budget Office estimates that the auction of this spectrum will
yield $10 billion, but outside industry experts project the revenue to be
between $20 billion to $30 billion, according to a joint release from
Landrieu and Vitter. 


>From this extra revenue, the first excess $1 billion would go toward deficit

reduction and the next $500 million would go to the first responder's
interoperability fund. Then $1.2 billion would be allocated for coastal
restoration in states that have had coastlines damaged by hurricanes. And
any additional revenue would also be allocated toward deficit reduction.