JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - The state has distributed almost 40 million dollars as the first payments under Governor Blunt's higher education initiative. A new law backed by Blunt calls for the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to pay the state 350 million dollars over several years. Most of that money is to be spent on college construction projects around the state. The loan agency made its initial 230 million dollar payment to the state last month. The first portion of that money now has been paid by the state to several projects: A list of the projects receiving money:

-- 16 million dollars to the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus;

-- 8 million dollars to the Missouri Technology Corporation, which distributes the money to other projects linking university research and businesses;

-- 7 million dollars to the Northwest Missouri State University Plant Biologics Center;

-- 4 million dollars to St. Charles and East Central community colleges;

-- 3.3 million dollars to the University of Missouri-Rolla Engineering Building;

-- nearly $27,000 to the Harris Stowe State University Children and Parent Education Center;

-- about $22,000 to Missouri State University;

-- and $6,250 to the Truman State University Pershing Building.