Jul 26, 2024
Local Issues
SUMMARY: President Signs into Law Funding for 10 Community-Requested Virginia Projects Spanberger Secured in Federal Appropriations Bill, Totaling More than $6.4 Million
The Congresswoman Worked Directly with County Officials & Community Leaders to Deliver Funding for Key Central Virginia Projects Focused on Economic Growth, Public Safety, Substance Abuse Treatment, Public Works, Infrastructure, & Recreation
Spanberger: “These 10 Projects Will Help Move Our Communities & Commonwealth Forward”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Joe Biden today signed into law funding for 10 Central Virginia projects that Spanberger successfully secured as part of a U.S. House and U.S. Senate-passed fiscal year (FY)2022 appropriations bill. The major investment in these community-requested projects totals more than $6.4 million that is now headed to Virginia’s Seventh District.
Spanberger worked directly with Central Virginia officials to solicit these requests, move these projects forward, and ensure they were included in the final package. These investments will help create new jobs, expand healthcare and treatment services, foster economic growth, address longstanding infrastructure needs, increase recreational opportunities, and improve public safety. All 10 of Spanberger’s project funding requests were signed into law.
“With the President signing this legislation into law today, we are delivering resources to directly support Virginia’s families, businesses, economy, and communities. Throughout the federal appropriations process, I have been proud to work closely with community leaders to evaluate the unique needs of each of the Seventh District’s 10 counties — and these 10 Projects will help move our communities and our Commonwealth forward,” said Spanberger. “As we rebuild from the pandemic, we are prioritizing smart, local investments that can quickly help create new jobs, keep our neighbors healthy, and ensure our communities have the resources they need to keep Virginians safe. These are the priorities of our communities, and I am proud to deliver this funding to make sure Virginia continues to lead the way.”
A summary of funding for each of the Seventh District’s 10 counties and links to additional information about each project are below.
Spanberger secured $375,000 for a new office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Amelia County. The funding will be used to renovate a former bank building into the new Clerk’s Office, which is currently located in the Amelia County Courthouse. This renovation will allow the county to make necessary security improvements to both the County Courthouse and the Sheriff’s Office.
“The Amelia County Board of Supervisors is thrilled to learn that the Federal budget has been signed into law and includes funding for the Amelia County Circuit Clerk’s Office upgrades. These significant upgrades have been needed for quite some time and the current facility has not been meeting the needs of Amelia’s citizens or employees. The Board of Supervisors had purchased a recently vacated commercial bank building in hopes of renovating it into first class office facilities for the Courts. No source of funding is in line, as of yet, for funding of this conversion. The funds as provided by the new Federal budget will make this new facility operational, with improved security and safety, several years before it would otherwise have been,” said David M. Felts, Chairman, Amelia County Board of Supervisors. “We thank Rep. Spanberger, as well as her office and staff, for making this project become a reality.”
Spanberger secured $1 million to improve drainage along Otterdale Road in Chesterfield County — alleviating the significant flooding that routinely occurs during heavy rainstorms at crossings along the road. Ongoing flooding at Otterdale Road poses risks to the lives and safety of local residents, impedes commercial business in the area, and puts undue stress on the road infrastructure. The funding for Chesterfield County will be used specifically for safety improvements at the Swift Creek crossing.
“We are appreciative anytime Congress agrees to help Chesterfield address mounting transportation needs,” said Christopher Winslow, Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. “These funds will assist Chesterfield in bringing positive and long-awaited change along an artery relied upon by thousands of motorists daily while also helping us alleviate a critical public safety challenge when flooding prevents emergency personnel and apparatus access to area homes.”
Spanberger secured $200,000 for the roof replacement of the Carver Center — previously George Washington Carver Regional High School — in Culpeper County. The roof replacement will be integral for the continued development of the Carver Center into a rural community education campus.The funding for Culpeper County will support the addition of a food processing center within the campus that includes a commercial kitchen for educational use and small business operations, providing the support necessary to assist with the financial sustainability of small and medium-sized local farms and food businesses.
“On behalf of the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors I wish to share my gratitude for the Community Project Funding secured for the Carver Center,” said Gary Deal, Chairman, Culpeper County Board of Supervisors. “These funds will directly contribute to the Carver Center’s revitalization as a cultural, agricultural, and vocational education campus. As a lifelong resident of Culpeper, I am very proud of the Carver initiative, and the benefit and camaraderie it brings to the region. The Carver Center holds great potential and continues to gain momentum in direct response to the tireless effort put forward by the George Washington Carver Regional High School Alumni Association, 4-County Museum, George Washington Carver Agricultural Research Center, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Culpeper County staff, and the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors. The story of the Carver Center continues to be written by the many organizations and individuals working in collaboration for the preservation of this important landmark.”
“The George Washington Carver Regional High School Alumni Association appreciates all efforts to restore, maintain, and enhance our historical facility,” saidReverend Frank D. Lewis Sr., Chairman, George Washington Carver Regional High School Alumni Association, Inc. “As the building is re-purposed and new programs and activities are housed, it is important that physical updates are made to ensure its longevity. Our Carver 4 County Museum, housed in the school’s former library, steadily receives visitors for tours and has gained much attention and acclaim in the surrounding communities for its outstanding exhibits and programs. The roof project will also provide an opportunity to achieve one of the Association’s major goals, the restoration of the school’s original name to the building.”
Spanberger secured $15,000 for GoochlandCares — a local nonprofit organization and free clinic with a mission to provide healthcare to elderly, low-income, and disabled Goochland residents — to increase access to healthcare in Goochland County. The funding will be used by GoochlandCares to purchase a second van for its transportation program, increasing the program’s efficiency and the number of people that can be transported to healthcare appointments, the pharmacy, and additional healthcare-related destinations each day.
“Rising gas prices, a lack of public transportation, and the size of rural Goochland County presents challenges for many residents in accessing healthcare and basic human services. For over 30 years, GoochlandCares provided rides only to medical services for our low-income, elderly, or disabled neighbors. We slowly expanded the scope of our transportation program to improve access to other basic needs programs such as food, clothing, and activities of daily living. GoochlandCares’ transportation services are more critical than ever,” said Sally Graham, Founder & Executive Director, GoochlandCares. “This funding will support our ability to grow services to meet the transportation needs of Goochland’s vulnerable community residents.”
“We are extremely grateful for the support and advocacy of Congresswoman Spanberger on behalf of Virginia’s network of free and charitable clinics, who play an important role in safeguarding the state’s underserved populations,” said Rufus Phillips, CEO, Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics. “The Goochland Cares Transportation Project will enable greater access to critical healthcare services for vulnerable residents of that community who would otherwise go without.”
Spanberger secured $1 million to build a 24-hour center to provide same-day inpatient detox services in Henrico County. The funding for the Henrico County Detox and Recovery Center will be used to address a critical gap that exists in the continuum of substance abuse treatment services available in the county.
“The Henrico Detox Center will address a critical gap in the community by providing 24-hour support and services to residents who are struggling with addiction,” said Tyrone E. Nelson, Henrico County Board of Supervisors, Varina Magisterial District & Co-Chairman, Henrico Recovery Roundtable. “This federal funding will help us to transform and save lives. Henrico is grateful for Representative Spanberger’s leadership and support in this effort. With our site now being cleared for construction, we look forward to the center’s opening in 2024.”
Spanberger secured $775,000 for affordable housing in Louisa County. This funding will help provide the opportunity of home ownership — not just affordable rental assistance — to more individuals and families in the area. The federal funds signed into law today will directly support the hardworking individuals and families for whom the equity and stability of home ownership is just out of reach.
Spanberger secured $923,937 for the purchase of an aerial ladder fire truck for the Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department. The funding will address an existing gap in firefighting capabilities in the Town of Blackstone, Fort Pickett, and neighboring towns, which currently lack an aerial ladder fire truck.
“In 2020, the Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department had to decommission our 32-year-old Ladder Truck for numerous mechanical and safety concerns. Efforts for funding replacement began years earlier through our local governmental bodies and Federal Grants with no success. Our all-volunteer organization, Town Mayor, and Town Manager understood the importance of this apparatus for the safety of our citizens and growing community. Sadly, efforts to pursue avenues of support in order to reduce the financial burden on our low-income community continued to fail,” said Dion G. Tomer, Fire Chief, Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department. “Without hesitancy, Rep. Abigail Spanberger came through for our fire department and community! We are, and forever will be grateful to Rep. Spanberger and her faculty for helping provide our community with the fire protection they rightly deserve.”
“The cooperation between the Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett and the Town of Blackstone and surrounding communities is vital to the safety and security of everyone who lives and works in the area, and the addition of an aerial ladder truck for the Town of Blackstone Fire Department closes a serious gap in capabilities,” said Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, Adjutant General of Virginia, Major General of the Virginia Army National Guard. “This new equipment gives area fire departments the ability to respond to multiple-story structure fires or rescue situations in the community, the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center and MTC Fort Pickett. We greatly appreciate the team effort to get this funding approved.”
“Rep. Spanberger and her entire team have been resolute and relentless in their quest to secure funds for this ladder truck, which will serve all of Nottoway County, including Fort Pickett,” said William D. “Billy” Coleburn, Mayor, Blackstone. “This is a big win for our community and one that will improve public safety, particularly with all the apartment and hotel construction being fueled here by the federal government’s increased presence at Fort Pickett.”
Spanberger secured $122,590 for the revitalization of Booster Park in Orange. The thousands of dollars in funding for improvements to Booster Park will be used for repairs to the field, practice facility, and concession stand. Spanberger worked directly with Orange County officials to get this funding request signed into law.
“Orange County Parks and Recreation is ecstatic to be the recipient of federal funding to improve the ballfields, practice facilities, and concession stand at Booster Park,” said Theodore L. Voorhees, County Administrator, Orange County. “The park is utilized by numerous sports teams and community partners who will directly benefit from these repairs. This project supports the Board of Supervisors’ initiative to expand parks and recreation facilities across the county.”
Spanberger secured $150,173 for the construction of a new walking and running trail in Powhatan County. The funding for a new “Education Connection Trail” will support a new trail connecting Powhatan Middle School and Powhatan Elementary School with key points in Powhatan — including the public library, YMCA, Fighting Creek Park, and the County’s existing three-mile trail network. This new trail will provide walkable connections to important amenities, increase access and mobility for Powhatan residents, and create new opportunities for fitness and recreation.
“Powhatan is so thankful to have been awarded a grant for the Educational Connection Trail project. This Trail will connect the YMCA, Fighting Creek Park and Powhatan Library to Powhatan Elementary and Middle School. We have another great resource to experience the beauty and nature of Powhatan for all citizens,” said Mike Byerly, Chairman, Powhatan County Board of Supervisors. “Congresswoman Spanberger was instrumental in bringing this funding opportunity to our attention and advocating to ensure this important community project was fully funded in the bill. This trail will be one more outdoor asset for Powhatan, linking our scenic rural areas with our top-quality school system.”
Spanberger secured $1,840,000 to expand the Motts Run Water Treatment Plant in Spotsylvania. This major funding for Spotsylvania County will be used to improve water service stability and reliability for the region. Specifically, the funding will be used for costs associated with the project’s National Environmental Policy Act Review, preliminary and detailed design engineering work, and partial constructions costs — including the installation and upgrade of treatment facilities to meet current and future drinking water demands.
“The Motts Run water treatment plant expansion project is essential in addressing the immediate needs of our community, but also ensures demands are met for the next 30 years,” said Tim McLaughlin, Chairman, Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors. “Approval of this community project funding initiative which covers $1.8 million of the $2 million cost of the preliminary engineering phase of the total $94 million project, comes as we struggle to balance affordable water and sewer rates for our residents while paying for multiple, large and costly infrastructure projects. We would like to extend our gratitude to Representative Spanberger and her staff for their efforts on behalf of the Spotsylvania community in helping to secure this funding, a critical first step in helping to move this project forward while easing the burden on our customers by lowering local costs.”
BACKGROUND
For FY2022, the U.S. House of Representatives implemented a new effort as part of its annual appropriations process, which allowed for specific Community Project Funding 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.
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