$8M earmarked for here; Colleges, health care, energy, police programs.

Byline: John J. Monahan

Massachusetts will get more than $125 million in federal funds for a wide range of projects through congressional earmarks in the omnibus spending bill signed yesterday by President Barack Obama, including more than $8 million for local college, health care, energy and police programs in Central Massachusetts.

While controversy continues in Washington over the use of earmarks to secure funding in budget bills, U.S. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry and U.S. Reps. James P. McGovern, Richard Neal, and John Olver used earmarks in the massive spending bill to ensure local project funding.

"These funds will create jobs that are desperately needed, and will provide lasting benefits for all our citizens long into the future," Mr. Kennedy said in an announcement detailing the earmarks.

Mr. McGovern said the funding is especially important at a time when state and local budgets are struggling to pay for new projects.

"These projects, from health care to education to law enforcement to transportation, are very important to communities all across the commonwealth," Mr. McGovern said.

Local funding earmarks

$143,000: Assumption College for educational equipment and information technology.

$357,000: Facilities and equipment at Becker College in Worcester.

$190,000: Computer and educational equipment at Clark University.

$143,000: Great Brook Valley Health Center in Worcester.

$285,000: Equipment and facilities at Harrington Memorial Hospital in Southbridge.

$190,000: Equipment for training programs for teachers of children with autism at the New England Center for Children Inc., in Southboro.

$750,000: Development of law enforcement technology and training at the Center for Technology Commercialization in Westboro.

$400,000: Crime scene work by the North Worcester County Drug Task Force.

$1,427,250: Research into fluid flow optimization techniques for energy efficient insulation by Aspen Aerogels of Northboro.

$300,000: The Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children at Anna Maria College.

$30 million: Planned improvement for the Fitchburg commuter rail line.

$475,000: The city of Worcester Gardner-Kilby-Hammond Main South revitalization project.

$285,000: Study for Interstate 495/Route 9 interchange in Westboro.

$475,000: Improvements to McKeon Road in Worcester.

$300,000: Technological and security improvements for Paxton.

$951,500: Planned RNAi research center at UMass Medical School in Worcester.

$246,000: Corps of Engineers project for restoration of the Blackstone River watershed.

$500,000: Wastewater treatment upgrades in Marlboro.

$105,000: Linear accelerator at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester.

$143,000: Education technology resources at Quinsigamond Community College.

$238,000: Regional work force development programs at Quinsigamond Community College.

$238,000: Information technology upgrades as UMass Memorial Medical Center.

$165,000: Becker College for nurse training to address work force shortages.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Visitors walk through the atrium of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston. Some $22 million for upgrades at the presidential library is included in the federal spending bill.

PHOTOG: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS