President Signs Into Law Spanberger Legislation to Provide Nearly $7 Million for Water Infrastructure, Law Enforcement Training, & Community Health Services in Spotsylvania County

This Funding Will Move the Motts Run Water Treatment Plant Expansion Forward, Help Construct a New 1-Million-Gallon Water Tower for the Massaponax & Thornburg Areas, Purchase a Virtual Reality Training System for the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, and Purchase a Fully Equipped Mobile Health Clinic for the Rappahannock Area Health District

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden yesterday signed into law U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger’s legislation that will provide $6,977,972 for critical water infrastructure, law enforcement training, and community health services projects in Spotsylvania County.

This investment — which Spanberger secured as part of a House-passed fiscal year (FY)2023 appropriations package — includes $3,452,972 for Phase 2 of Spotsylvania County’s Motts Run Water Treatment Plant expansion, which will help meet growing water demand as the region grows. This investment will further advance the engineering in Phase 1 into the detailed design work and development of technical specifications necessary for the completion of the project.

Spanberger also secured $3,000,000 to help Spotsylvania County design and construct a new 1-million-gallon water tower to replace an existing 250,000 gallon tank. As the Massaponax and Thornburg areas of Spotsylvania County continue to experience consistent population growth, this project will increase capacity, help serve growing residential and commercial demands, and provide more fire flow duration.

“We are grateful to Representative Spanberger and her staff for helping us secure federal community project funding for these two key water infrastructure projects that will serve our community well for many years to come,” said Ben Loveday, Assistant County Administrator for Community Operations, Spotsylvania County. “The $3.4 million in federal funding advances the Motts Run Water Treatment Expansion project from the design and development phase into the construction phase. Once complete, the plant’s water capacity will more than double, giving us the ability to meet growing demand and delivering the best quality drinking water to our customers that meets all state and federal standards. In addition, the $3 million in funding to design and build a new water tower serves a significant need to increase the capacity of the existing Massaponax area water tower from 250,000 gallons to a 1 million gallon water tower to provide improved fire protection and water service for the Massaponax (I-95 exit 126) and Thornburg (I-95 exit 118) areas as residential and commercial growth continues there well into the future.”

Additionally, Spanberger secured $400,000 for the Rappahannock Area Health District to obtain a fully equipped mobile health clinic. This mobile health clinic would be used throughout the community to expand clinical services and health outreach to individuals in rural communities as well as those who otherwise lack access to healthcare. This investment would help bridge this gap and protect and improve the health of the Rappahannock Area community through disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness and would provide key services such as vaccinations, testing, immunizations, clinic services, and cancer screenings.

“We are elated for the opportunity to bring mobile health services to the Rappahannock Area Health District,” said Dr. Obasanjo Olugbenga, Health Director, Rappahannock Area Health District. “We have heard again and again from our community that transportation can pose a real barrier to accessing healthcare. This project will allow us to overcome this barrier, bringing services to many of those most need of care.”

Spanberger also secured $125,000 for the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy to purchase a Virtual Reality Training Judgment Simulator. The simulator would be used in training programs conducted at the academy — which services 43 member agencies across Virginia — to increase officer confidence and proficiency in de-escalation skills and improve judgment on use-of-force decisions. This investment would enhance the academy’s ability to effectively train officers to de-escalate crisis situations, as well as reduce injuries and incidents of lethal force.

“I am thrilled to have successfully secured nearly $7 million dollars in federal funding to address the unique needs of the Spotsylvania region — to ensure that the physical infrastructure can keep up with the demands of a growing population, that all residents can access the healthcare services they need, and that local officers have the resources they need to be prepared for all situations on the job,” said Spanberger. “Earlier this year, President Biden signed into law a first round of federal funding for the Motts Run Water Treatment Plant expansion. Now, we are delivering on an even stronger investment in the region’s water infrastructure — including by expanding water capacity in Spotsylvania County with a new water tower. Additionally, I am proud to have secured funding for the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy to purchase a new virtual reality training system, as well as for the Rappahannock Area Health District to expand clinical health services to residents who currently lack care. I am grateful for the work of so many local officials and community leaders who have been working with my office to secure this funding, and I look forward to seeing the impact it will have on the community.”

BACKGROUND

For FY2023, the U.S. House of Representatives allowed Members of Congress to submit Community Project Funding requests — as it did in FY2022. This allowed for specific, community-driven requests. Spanberger worked directly with community leaders in all 10 counties of the Seventh District to gather community-focused requests for her submissions. Click here for the full list of her submissions.

The Community Project Funding process was created to ensure that Members of Congress, in concert with the communities they represent, may submit direct applications for federal funding to support locally planned projects as part of the yearly appropriations process.

To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by local or state government entities or non-profit organizations and must be projects that would otherwise meet the qualifications to apply for federal grant funding. The purpose of Community Project Funding is to ensure direct, local engagement as part of the federal appropriations process. In line with this goal, funding applications needed to demonstrate significant local support for the projects.

Earlier this year, President Biden signed into law funding for 10 Virginia projects that Spanberger successfully secured as part of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate-passed FY2022 appropriations bill.

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