Local Congresswoman Susan Wild says the recently-passed federal spending bill will bring in critical funding for the greater Lehigh Valley. WDIY’s Sarit Laschinsky has more.
In a statement, Wild said a total of 15 Community Project funding requests in the 7th Congressional District will receive a total of over $18 million through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
The largest amount of funding, $3 million, was awarded to the Greater Valley YMCA to support its Southern Lehigh County Y Facility Project.
Around $2.7 million was awarded to Northampton Community College’s Interdisciplinary Healthcare and Workforce Development Center, as well as to the City of Bethlehem to acquire a stretch of the abandoned Norfolk Southern Railway line for the Bethlehem Greenway Trail.
New Bethany Ministries received $2 million to acquire a building and renovate 30 non-congregate housing units for vulnerable and underserved people.
Over $1.5 million will support Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley’s Workforce Skills Development Program, and $1 million each was awarded for repairs and renovations at Gracedale Nursing Home and KidsPeace Orchard Hills Campus.
Other funding recipients include the Museum of Indian Culture, the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, Via of the Lehigh Valley, the City of Easton and Upper Macungie Township.
Wild said the bill will provide investments and provisions to aid military veterans and law enforcement, increase support for affordable housing, high-speed broadband, childcare and early learning opportunities, as well as support the preservation of good-paying jobs in her district at Lehigh Heavy Forge, Mack Trucks and Air Products.
She also said it increases funding for agencies including the National Labor Relations Board, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Social Security Administration, among others.
Below is the full list of funding requests fulfilled through the federal bill, according to Wild's office:
Bethlehem Greenway Trail, City of Bethlehem
Awarded Amount: $2,700,000
Description: The funding would be used to acquire a stretch of the abandoned Norfolk Southern Railway line in order to close a high-priority regional trail gap in the Lehigh Valley and to construct the remainder of the trail following the land acquisition.
Light Detection and Ranging Equipment Acquisition, City of Easton
Awarded Amount: $349,000
Description: The funding would be used to provide more accurate 3D maps of traffic incidents, crime scenes, and burning buildings.
Building and Facilities Renovation, KidsPeace Orchard Hills Campus
Awarded Amount: $1,000,000
Description: The funding would be used to upgrade fire and security measures; improve HVAC, water, and sewer; and for parking lot safety needs.
Security Checkpoint and Terminal Connector Project at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority
Awarded Amount: $600,000
Description: The funding would be used for the acquisition and installation of public circulation control devices.
Lenape Village Park, Museum of Indian Culture
Awarded Amount: $963,000
Description: The funding would be used for the region’s first authentic recreation of a Lenape Village on the site of one of the most well-traveled routes of the Lenape people (dating back 12,500 years).
Acquisition and renovation of a building to be used for non-congregate housing of vulnerable populations, New Bethany Ministries
Awarded Amount: $2,000,000
Description: The funding would be used to purchase a building and renovate 30 non-congregate housing units for underserved populations, including families with children, single women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Interdisciplinary Healthcare and Workforce Development Center, Northampton County Community College
Awarded Amount: $2,729,288
Description: The funding would be used to create an integrated, interdisciplinary, and interprofessional team-based space supporting the growing healthcare workforce needs in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos.
Gracedale Nursing Home Facilities Repairs and Improvement, Northampton County
Awarded Amount: $1,000,000
Description: The funding would be used to upgrade smoke detectors, replace old compressor units for the walk-in refrigerators, replace Elevator 1, purchase furniture, repair the Victorian garden flooring, renovate the snack bar area, and secure the behavioral garden.
Training Room and Emergency Operations Center, Palmer Municipal Fire Department
Awarded Amount: $346,010
Description: The funding would be used for the construction of an addition serving as a training and meeting room, as well as a secondary Emergency Operations Center (including audio/visual equipment, tables and chairs, and installation of phone lines).
Workforce Skills Development Program, Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley
Awarded Amount: $1,549,360
Description: The funding would be used to expand the organization’s workforce development skills program, targeting vulnerable groups that face major employment barriers.
Greater Valley YMCA Southern Lehigh County Y Facility Project, Greater Valley YMCA
Awarded Amount: $3,000,000
Description: The funding would be used to support all pre-construction and land development costs (including land engineering fees, site development, site grading/excavation, utility connections, and geo-tech services), as well as initial construction costs.
EMS Training Institute, Suburban Emergency Medical Services
Awarded Amount: $239,629.12
Description: The funding would be used for classes to train emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in an accelerated eight-week program.
Strengthen Suicide Prevention Programs, Pinebrook Family Answers
Awarded Amount: $197,477
Description: The funding would be used to staff the coalition with a project manager, an assistant project, and to augment the work of the coalition.
Construction of Upper Macungie Community Center, Upper Macungie Township
Awarded Amount: $750,000
Description: The funding would be used to help construct Buildings A, B, and C of a long-awaited regional community center for sports and cultural events, senior activities, community gatherings, and other services to residents from Upper Macungie and surrounding rural areas.
Rehabilitation of Pre-Vocational Workshop, Via of the Lehigh Valley
Awarded Amount: $750,000
Description: The funding would be used to complete capital renovations for Via’s prevocational workshop for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities that would improve the health, safety, and effectiveness of the participants and increase the site’s energy efficiency.
(Original air-date: 12/27/22)
