Welch Secures Nearly $30 Million in Federal Funds for Vermont | Senator Welch
Summary
Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today he has secured nearly $30 million in federal funds in the recently-passed budget to support 19 Vermont projects. The projects will improve local infrastructure and accessibility, bolster economic revitalization, preserve community landmarks, and build more affordable housing. Project recipients were nominated by Sen. Welch through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process.Federal funds can help jump-start projects that make a big difference in the communityfrom improving our water infrastructure systems, to building affordable housing, to making a beloved public library more accessible for everyone. Welch secured the following federal investments to support Vermont communities: $5 million for the Champlain Housing Trust for the Bay Ridge Neighborhood Development, which will create 68 permanently affordable apartments and 26 shared-equity condominiums $5 million for the Bennington County Industrial Corporation for Mount Anthony House, which will result in 63 new apartments, two new medical facilities and additional retail locations in downtown Bennington $4.75 million for the Vermont National Guard for an addition to the National Guard Readiness Center $3 million for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) for the Central Vermont Transit Operations Facility $2.2 million for the Town of Waterbury to extend the water line to the East Wind Mobile Home Park $1.24 million for the Windsor County Sheriffs Department to upgrade and modernize the emergency communication radio network $1.2 million for the Burlington School District to manage and treat stormwater from a new high school on the Burlington High School Campus $1 million for the Brandon Public Library to improve the public librarys safety and accessibility $1 million for the Springfield Regional Development Corporation for the Park Street School: Business Incubator & Accelerator $865,000 for the Town of Berlin to replace a pump station $825,000 for the Town of Fairfax for upgrades to the towns wastewater treatment facility $824,000 for the Village of Johnson to build a new maintenance garage for the Village $750,000 for the Town of Vershire to build a new garage for the Town $500,000 for the Vermont Woodlands Association for technical assistance, education and outreach, and financial assistance for forest management to Vermont families who own forested lands $408,000 for the Town of Highgates Recreation Facility roof and entrance repair $400,000 for the Town of Lyndon for the Sanborn Covered Bridge revitalization project $325,000 for the Town of Strafford for the preservation of the historic town office $250,000 for the Norwich University Applied Research Institute to partner with NASA for security improvements to computer architecture $45,000 for the Rutland Area Art Association for repairs to the Historic Chaffee Art CenterThe funding was included in the six-bill minibus appropriations package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 passed by the U.S. Senate on Friday, March 8th. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has given each Member of Congress authority to request Congressionally Directed Spending projects for inclusion in fiscal year appropriations bills.Senator Welchs office is now accepting Congressionally Directed Spending requests for state and local government entities and non-profit organizations based in Vermont for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.