Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released a list of the most egregious pork barrel projects spilling over in the Fiscal 2008 House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Act.  One section of the bill alone –Economic Development Initiative (EDI) grants – has $78.2 million in pork spread throughout 480 projects.  The purported purpose of EDI is to increase economic development and revitalization, but it is too often used as a pork depository.

Here are some outrageous examples of pork that members of the House added to the EDI portion of the THUD bill:

• $330,000 for further construction of the Rainesville Ag center in the district of House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee member Robert Aderholdt (R-Ala.);
• $250,000 for infrastructure renovations for awnings of the historic market for Downtown Roanoke, VA, in the district of Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.);
• $250,000 for construction of the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, WA, in the district of Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.);
• $200,000 for sidewalks, street furniture and façade improvements in Tamuning, Guam, in the district of Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam);
• $150,000 for renovations to the Renaissance Art Center, Inc. historic theater in Rupert, ID, in the district of House appropriator Michael Simpson (R-Idaho);
• $150,000 for the Troy Chamber of Commerce to purchase a solar green house from Lawrence Tech University in the district of House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Joseph Knollenberg (R-Mich.);
• $100,000 for signage and streetscape improvements for the Los Angeles Fashion District;
• $100,000 for expansion and renovation of the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, KY, in the district of Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Ky.);
• $100,000 for improvements to the South Airport Industrial Park site in Toledo, OH, in the district of House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee member Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio);
• $100,000 for development and to create interactive, education, and historical exhibits for the main museum building of the Hunting & Fishing Museum of Pennsylvania in Tionesta, PA, in the district of House appropriator John Peterson (R-Pa.); and
• $50,000 for construction of a National Mule and Packers Museum in Bishop, CA, in the district of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.