Project Requests
As part of the yearly appropriations process, members of Congress may request funding for specific projects in their communities, so long as the projects have a federal nexus and meet other requirements established by federal law, House Rules, and the Appropriations Committee. Guidance for Fiscal Year 2024 Community Project Funding is available here.
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PROJECTS REQUESTED
Elementary Septic Replacement
Anderson Valley Unified School District
Anderson Valley Elementary School, Boonville, CA
$1,750,000
The funding would be used for Replacement of fully failed elementary septic system at a 70 year old site that serves 225 low income, Hispanic children in a rural town in Mendocino County. Our families work in the fields. Rural school systems are integral to California and are under-represented in political influence compared to wealthy districts. Students deserve an equitable and safe place to learn where they are not walking through raw sewage on a playground. The cost burden of this $1.5 million sewage system next to a rural creek feeding into domestic water wells is not feasible for a tiny district of 425 kids. Help kids learn in an environment of equity by making sure their school system has the health and safety standards of other school systems in the state.
Member Certification Letter
San Francisco North Bay Dairy Community Transition Assistance
County of Marin
Various locations in West Marin County, CA
$2,000,000
The funding would be used to restart for organic dairy farms in the North San Francisco Bay that are facing a gutted market for organic milk, environmental conditions severely reducing on-farm forage production, feed cost increases from supply chain bottlenecks and inflation, and lease termination. To simultaneously protect ecosystems and lands where dairy operations exist while avoiding the negative ripple of dairy closures through this community and economy, this project is positioned to catch at-risk dairy operations and provide them a transition path all while conserving and rehabilitating fragile ecosystems. This project achieve stacked benefits for working and
natural landscapes. By keeping organic diaries in operation, albeit at a new location, the ecosystem services of food provisioning and similarly fire fuel reduction through grazing are accomplished. For lands where a lease is terminated and dairying ceased, it is worth noting that they are already part of an open and connected natural landscape providing wildlife habitat and corridors. And there is potential for those lands to be opened for direct public enjoyment and recreation.
Member Certification Letter
Mendonoma Mobile Health Clinic
Mendonoma Health Alliance
Gualala, CA
$165,000
The funding would be used for MHA and its partners will launch primary care services via mobile clinic to the distant and underserved coastal communities of southern Mendocino and northern Sonoma counties. Residents of the MHA service area face a unique combination of factors that create disparities in health care. These include economic factors, age distribution, cultural and social differences, educational shortcomings, and the isolation of living in a remote rural area. Funding to support the planning and launch of a mobile health clinic will ensure expanded access to health care and other wrap-around services, which will improve the quality and delivery of health care services, reducing costly ER transports, hospital admissions and hospital readmissions, improving population health by implementing evidence-based practices, and expanding the availability of primary care services, timely referrals and health care coordination in small outlying communities.
Member Certification Letter
Alexander Valley Health & Wellness Center Construction
Voppertower Family Medical Center Inc., dba Alexander Valley Healthcare
Cloverdale, CA
$1,500,000
The funding would be used for Alexander Valley Healthcare plans to construct a new 3-story, 40,000 sq' Health & Wellness Center to better meet the healthcare needs of Northern Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)s are a type of “blended” healthcare provider specifically developed for underserved low-income populations living in areas where other services are scarce. Like private practices, they address the “presenting health problems” of each individual patient, but, like public health departments, they also work to address community health problems, including filling service gaps, conducting community health promotion efforts, networking with other health and social service agencies, and conducting emergency preparedness activities.
Member Certification Letter
Toma Resilience Campus
Blue Lake Rancheria
Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Lands
$1,904,659
The funding would be used for to construct the Blue Lake Rancheria's Toma Resilience Campus (Toma), a 15,000-square foot, multi-use facility focused on climate resilience, disaster preparedness, clean energy, smart technology, manufacturing, and sustainable food systems. This will serve the Blue Lake Rancheria tribal community and broader region. As a multi-purpose facility, the Toma Resilience Campus will house both programs and activities currently underway, and newly developed functions looking for a programmatic home. Current activities that will be migrated to the Toma facility include Resilience, Training, and Innovation Center (RTIC); Tribal Emergency Response Team (TERT) planning and support activities; additional climate resilience, emergency response, and workforce trainings conducted with regional partners; and other collaborative gatherings such as workshops, trainings, events, etc.
Member Certification Letter
Pyke Field Park Community Use Improvement Project
County of Del Norte
Crescent City, California
$1,827,019
The funding would be used for Pyke Field is an approximately 220,570 square foot facility consisting primarily of three older, dilapidated baseball/softball fields. Our request for $1.5 million, to be matched with local funding, will allow for the complete renovation of the three fields to significantly improve their function and usefulness to the community. Pyke Field Park remains in significant need of renovation. The condition of the fields and poor drainage make them unsafe. While the County has designed a shortterm more significant work remains. The request will be supplemented with local funding for additional necessary improvements to the fields restrooms and lighting, will allow for drainage improvements and facilities construction. Improvements to Pyke Field Park reflects Del Norte County's mission to create healthy opportunities for better recreational outcomes, leading to healthier lifestyle choices.
Member Certification Letter
Pt. Reyes Senior Housing
Eden Housing Inc.
Pt. Reyes (Former Coast Guard Base), Marin County, CA
$2,750,000
The funding would be used to deliver affordable workforce housing for families, seniors, and agriculture workers at the former Coast Guard Pt. Reyes site. Federal funding will support the creation of 15 units of senior housing on the 32 acre site. Affordable housing for seniors is critical to the region. With adaptive reuse of existing buildings, Zero Net Energy campus, and preservation of natural riparian habitat, this project is a model for environmental stewardship in a state where climate change resiliency is of great necessity and importance. The site contains several environmentally sensitive habitats including a coastal stream, riparian woodland areas, and a seasonal wetland habitat for various flora and fauna – all of which will be preserved with all new uses taking place within the existing developed footprint.
Member Certification Letter
New Senior Center
Fortuna Senior Services, Inc.
Fortuna, CA
$997,999.00
The funding would be used for New Metal building 7,700 sq. ft. on 9/10 acre in the City of Fortuna to be a new home of Fortuna Senior Center. The new senior center will provide a friendly space where seniors can come, hang out and visit each other and do interesting activities rather than sitting home alone. The primary aim is to promote the physical, mental, emotional and social health of seniors and to help avoid isolation. The new center will be located on the Humboldt Bus route severing members of the community who do not drive. The center will keep seniors happy and healthy encouraging their independence and ability to stay in their homes.
Member Certification Letter
Unidentified Human Remains Forensic Genetic DNA Testing
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office
Humboldt County California to include Yurok Tribal Lands, Hoopa Tribal Lands, Karuk Tribal Lands.
$175,000
The funding would be used for advanced DNA testing, referred to as Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG), to identify 20 recovered unidentified human remains cases. These 20 cases are suitable for an off the shelf solution like FGG that will provide investigative leads so we can return these individuals to family. Once identified, many of these cases may be linked to person who have been reported as missing in the past. Traditional Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) DNA testing has failed to provide any investigative leads. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because besides the combination of advanced DNA testing with police investigatory work demonstrates to the residents of the community that Law Enforcement will continue to pursue justice for every case, regardless of how many decades have passed. The most direct impact is on the families of the missing, but these cases often touch the entire community.
Member Certification Letter
Property Acquisition to Expand Housing Services and Waste Reduction Programs
Make It Home
Marin County, CA
$2,000,000
The funding would be used to purchase a permanent location for Make It Home’s furniture bank and career development services for transition-age foster and underserved youth. The new space would allow Make It Home to add to the number of low-income individuals and families served and further reduce the amount of furniture ending up in landfill. The new space will also allow the organization to expand an on-site career development program for transition-age foster and underserved youth. The funding would be used to purchase a permanent location for Make It Home’s furniture bank and career development services for transition-age foster and underserved youth. The new space would allow Make It Home to add to the number of low-income individuals and families served and further reduce the amount of furniture ending up in landfill. The new space will also allow the organization to expand a on-site career development program for transition-age foster and underserved youth.
Member Certification Letter
Coyote Valley Dam General Investigation/Feasibility study
Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission
Ukiah CA
$500,000
The funding would be used to complete a Feasibility Study for the raising of Coyote Valley Dam in Mendocino County, California was first initiated. The purpose of the dam raise is to provide a more reliable local water supply, increase flood damage reduction and improve water quality for listed anadromous fish in the Russian River. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the water from this reservoir to the Russian River serves 600,000 people, both domestic and agricultural interests within the 2nd Congressional District. Water from Lake Mendocino is released in the summer months to satisfy water right holders along the Russian River and to provide minimum instream flows for fish habitat. Without adequate water storage in Lake Mendocino, the volume of water that salmon and steelhead need for spawning and rearing in the upper Russian River will be diminished and cause further declines in the fisheries.
Member Certification Letter
City of Petaluma Emergency Operations Center
City of Petaluma
Petaluma, CA
$1,275,000
The funding would be used for Phase 1 (pre-construction) of a new municipal Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in midtown Petaluma. The project will enable faster, more effective response to a disaster impacting south Sonoma County and surrounding areas. This in turn could save lives and property and provide for a faster recovery. With public safety a core mission of government, it is a prudent use of taxpayer funds to conduct all necessary preconstruction activities prior to building a new EOC for Petaluma and other communities in southern Sonoma County.
Member Certification Letter
Resilient State Route 37 Tolay Creek Bridge Replacement and Restoration Project (Submitted with Rep. Mike Thompson)
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
On State Route 37 at the existing bridge over Tolay Creek, Sonoma County, CA
$7,000,000
The Tolay Creek Bridge Replacement and Restoration Project will replace the existing 60-foot long two-lane SR 37 bridge over Tolay Creek. The new bridge will: allow for implementation of the lower Sonoma Creek Baylands strategy that includes Tolay Restoration, examine feasibility of designing long-term project elevations, support the transition to long-term project elevations consistent with integration of SMART including possible grade separation, provide a barrier separated Class I bicycle path to close a gap in the Bay Trail and improve safety, all within the timeline of the Sears Point to Mare Island Interim Project delivery. The proposed project will have multiple benefits including: 1. Relieving congestion and improving safety in the corridor by fixing a bottleneck that creates long queues, delays, and crashes; 2. Allowing for an increase in tidal prism that is needed for restoration of the San Pablo Baylands as identified in the Sonoma Creek Baylands Strategy to mitigate for projected sea-level rise in the corridor; 3. Closing a gap in connectivity and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians on the San Francisco Bay Trail.; 4. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions; 5. Improving safety and quality of life; and 6. Improving access for equity priority communities
Member Certification Letter
Purchase of 2023 2000BXL-26-5 Tucker Terra Sno Cat
Trinity Public Utilities District
Weaverville, CA
$236,140
The funding would be used for Acquisition of a 2023 2000 BXL-26-5 Tucker Terra Sno-Cat snow vehicle. The acquisition of the Tucker Terra Sno-Cat snow vehicle will enhance the ability of the Trinity PUD crews to respond to winter snow emergencies and more quickly restore power during outages that occur during these winter storms. The most recent storm began on March 9, 2023 and brought more than 36 inches of snow, resulting in a system-wide power outage for more than 94% of TPUD customers. Some TPUD communities are more than a two-hour drive from the TPUD equipment yard in Weaverville. This snow vehicle is an essential acquisition to support our crew efforts to restore power during outages and protect the health and safety of our citizens during severe weather events which are occurring with greater frequency in our area of the State.
Member Certification Letter
Dream Quest Community Youth Center
Willow Creek Youth Partnership
Willow Creek, California
$1,500,000
The funding would be used for a new Community Youth Center designed to provide programs and services to promote public health and safety for families through upstream prevention of drug use, child abuse and domestic violence. The new youth center facility will also serve as a hub for community development, providing opportunity through programs including a Work Force Investment Act training center and entrepreneurial education. The project serves a very large, disadvantaged rural area which includes both the Yurok and Hoopa Reservations. The Dream Quest Community Youth Center will help to develop a more resilient rural region, strengthen community, and will promote economic growth through advancing opportunities for youth and their families. The investment of taxpayer funds coupled with substantial private funding creates a public-private partnership which assures that the community is vested in achieving future success. Dream Quest is integrally connected to the entire community, working closely with numerous organizations and constantly striving to develop additional collaborative relationships, to avoid redundancy and maximize the limited resources available.
Member Certification Letter