Foster requests $56M for projects

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A $2.5 million federal appropriation would go a long way toward building a bigger DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport. The city of DeKalb has requested federal funding to help acquire land near the existing land that would help with the airport's long-term development plans, DeKalb Taylor Airport Manager Tom Cleveland said Wednesday. If granted, it would help the city purchase land for several purposes, including a corporate hangar area west of the main runway. “It can make more revenue for the airport to expand the corporate hangar base,” Cleveland said Wednesday. “It's under an airport layout plan we've had. First thing we need to do is buy the land, to make an area that protects runways and the approaching zone. That's the main priority.” U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Geneva, asked for the $2.5 million on behalf of DeKalb in a $56 million appropriations request. Foster released a list of 27 requests and amounts Tuesday; three of those were requested by entities in DeKalb County. The House Appropriations Committee selects which requests will get federal funding, all as part of members of Congress authority to direct discretionary spending. Also included in Foster's appropriation request is $9.5 million for Northern Illinois University to further development of the Northern Illinois Proton Therapy Treatment and Research Center, which is being built in West Chicago and will treat malignant tumors uncontrollable through conventional cancer treatments. Foster also requested another $5 million for NIU's Institute for Neutron Therapy at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, which uses excess beam capacity to treat advanced radio-resistant malignant tumors. Foster won a special election in March to complete the unexpired term of former U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Plano. Foster will face off in November against Republican Jim Oberweis for a full term. “We scrambled to get this thing together,” Foster said. “The seat was vacant for a very painful three months in terms of getting appropriations. The deadline to file appropriations was the day I took office. We were given an extension.” Foster said it is unlikely all the projects will be funded, but all would benefit their communities. Other appropriation requests made by Foster include $1.4 million for the Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove to create an entrance road and improve a parking lot toward getting a regional sales and service facility to create more jobs, and $5 million requested by Kane County for the Central Great Lakes Mapping Coalition, made up of seven state geological surveys along with the U.S. Geological Survey to protect water quality and quantity in Kane County and northeast Illinois.

Requests DeKalb/Taylor Municipal Airport Amount requested: $2.5 million by the city of DeKalb. Description: Funds would assist in the operations, maintenance and security of the DeKalb/Taylor Airport. The Northern Illinois Proton Therapy Treatment and Research Center Amount requested: $9.5 million by Northern Illinois University. Description: These funds would further the development of the Northern Illinois Proton Therapy Treatment and Research Center, a medical and research treatment facility that will treat malignant tumors that are uncontrollable through conventional techniques. The Northern Illinois University Institute for Neutron Therapy Amount requested: $5 million by Northern Illinois University. Description: The NIUINT uses a neutron beam to treat advanced radio-resistant malignant tumors. Funding would help provide information on the effectiveness of neutron therapy. Source: Bill Foster