WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Biden signed into law the Fiscal Year 2022 bipartisan omnibus spending package which funds the government through September 2022, invests in Northwest Washington communities and working families, and provides critical emergency aid to Ukraine. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) secured $10,662,665 in the package for ten Second District projects local leaders and stakeholders identified as critical to their communities.

“My priority in shaping spending bills is to invest in local communities to create well-paying jobs and provide vital services in Northwest Washington,” said Larsen. “I will continue to champion these critical projects to ensure communities can build and strengthen vital infrastructure, improve residents’ health outcomes, provide basic services to the homeless and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.”

For the first time in over a decade, the spending bill includes earmarks for important community projects. Larsen secured the following earmarks to support Northwest Washington communities:

Building and Strengthening Vital Infrastructure

• $2,000,000 for the City of Mountlake Terrace’s transit connection project. The City will construct a pedestrian plaza adjacent to the new light rail station and lighted, paved pedestrian trails through Veterans Memorial Park.
• $1,740,000 for the Samish Indian Nation’s State Route 20 – Campbell Lake Road Roundabout project. The Samish will construct a three-legged roundabout at the intersection of State Route 20 and Campbell Lake Road.
• $1,000,000 for the City of Lynnwood’s Scriber Creek Trail redevelopment project. The City will redevelop the existing trail corridor into a 16-foot wide, ADA-accessible trail with durable, slip resistant hard surfaces. Where crossing Scriber Creek and associated wetlands, the trail will be constructed on elevated bridge/boardwalk structures.
• $500,000 for the City of Sedro-Woolley’s Olmsted Park development project. The City will develop an existing 14.81-acre city-owned property into a destination park for public use.
• $136,000 for the Port of Coupeville’s rehabilitation of the Historic Coupeville Wharf. The Port will replace approximately 400 feet of water and sewer piping that runs along the Historic Coupeville Wharf's causeway.

Providing Critical Services to the Homeless

• $2,000,000 for construction of The Way Station in Bellingham. A collaborative project between Unity Care Northwest, The Opportunity Council, PeaceHealth and Whatcom County, The Way Station will provide medical respite, a hygiene center, health care, long-term housing, case management and other critical services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Northwest Washington.
• $245,560 for the City of Everett’s Pallets to Housing initiative. In efforts to combat the crisis of homelessness and provide suitable shelter, the City is piloting an initiative utilizing low-barrier shelters to temporarily house hard-to-place individuals and couples. The City plans to expand this pilot project to develop a new and different location to benefit youth and families who are experiencing homelessness.

Improving Behavioral Health Care Services

• $2,000,000 for Phase II construction of Compass Health’s advanced facility for Intensive Behavioral Health Services in Everett. The five-story, 72,000 square foot building will accommodate a range of integrated emergency and preventive outpatient behavioral health care services.

Mitigating the Harmful Effects of Climate Change

• $694,480 for the MacKaye Harbor Water District’s Agate Beach Lane infrastructure improvements on Lopez Island. The Water District will relocate water infrastructure away from a road that is currently failing due to coastal erosion.

Boosting Food Resiliency

• $346,625 for the Goosefoot Community Fund’s community kitchen project in Langley. Goosefoot Community Fund will create a commercial kitchen to help local farmers, producers and small businesses increase food resiliency on Whidbey Island.
  

What Community Leaders and Stakeholders Are Saying

Compass Health President and CEO Tom Sebastian

• “This Community Project Funding is instrumental to realizing the vision of Compass Health’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment, which will set a new standard for sophistication, innovation and dignity in caring for our community members with intensive behavioral health needs. We are incredibly grateful for Representative Larsen’s dedication to championing solutions that support the health of our Northwest Washington communities and directly address the complex challenges facing our region.” 

Compass Health Chief Advancement Officer Tom Kozaczynski

• “The Broadway Campus Redevelopment represents a transformative shift in the recognition that access to evidence-based behavioral healthcare is central to the mental, physical and even economic well-being of local communities. We’re fortunate that Representative Larsen and others who have invested in the project understand the significance of a state-of-the-art behavioral health facility to keep community members engaged in treatment and support recovery, housing and employment – plus alleviate strain on local hospitals, law enforcement and other safety net services.” 

Mountlake Terrace Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto Wright

• “The City of Mountlake Terrace is so appreciative of Rep. Larsen’s leadership in securing funding for the Transit Connection Corridor project. It not only links our Town Center and Civic Campus to the light rail station, it connects people with jobs and services. The federal funding will support the local investments already made and bring this project to completion before the light rail station opens for service in 2024.” 

Port of Coupeville Executive Director Chris Michalpoulos

• “The historic Coupeville Wharf in Penn Cove Washington is steeped in rich maritime history. It is the last structure still standing that supported the historic mosquito fleet of the 1800’s. Representative Rick Larsen and his team have been a critical partner in the rehabilitation and preservation of this historic asset. We couldn’t have done this without them!” 

Goosefoot Community Fund Director of Programs Marian Myszkowski

• "We are so appreciative of Rep. Larsen and his office for supporting this project! This shared commercial kitchen, in addition to incubating small businesses, will be an important resource in strengthening local food resiliency and security.” 

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin

• “This bill supports critically needed investments in our community, addressing homelessness and expanding behavioral health care services. I thank Representative Larsen for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of our region.” 

Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell

• “We are very appreciative of the partnership and hard work by Rick Larsen and his team to move this funding forward. Scriber Creek Trail Phase 2 will improve a nearly ½-mile portion of existing trail from Sprague’s Pond Mini Park through Scriber Creek Park leading to the Transit Center and the Interurban Trail. This improvement will create a wide, ADA-compliant, multimodal connection between the South Lynnwood neighborhood and the future light rail station while elevating the trail and improving the ecological function of Scriber Creek and surrounding wetlands. The addition of this federal appropriation completes the funding needed to begin construction this summer.  I look forward to walking the trail with Rick when it is complete!”  

MacKaye Harbor Water District Commissioner San Olson

• "The MacKaye Harbor Water District is thrilled to receive funding from the Environmental Protection Agency which will be used for relocating a major water main away from a shoreline that is rapidly eroding due to increasingly powerful climate related storms. Beyond the immediate relocation need, the district will be improving infrastructure resilience and reliability against future environmental challenges. Representative Rick Larsen was the critical partner in evaluating the district's needs, including a personal sight visit, and guiding our request through the complex process of congressional approval.”

Unity Care Northwest CEO Jodi Joyce

• “Thanks to the support of Rep. Larsen there will be a new health and hygiene center in Whatcom County that will help people without a home who are in need of medical or mental health services, shower and laundry services or who a place to recuperate from a medical event. After years of work and planning, The Way Station will be able to care for people and help them get into stable housing.”

Samish Nation Chairman Tom Wooten

• “The Samish Nation is extremely pleased that the Campbell Lake Rd and SR20 Interchange is in the infrastructure package, as this upgrade is much needed for public safety. We look forward to the completion of the roundabout and the positive impacts it will have keeping the community and visitors to our Islands safe. Samish Nation is proud of not only of being an advocate and party to this project but the roll it has in the larger communities surrounding the nation.” 

Sedro-Woolley Mayor Julia Johnson

• “The City of Sedro-Woolley extends their humble gratitude and sincere Thank You to Representative Rick Larsen, for his submission of our grant application to the FY 2022 Bipartisan Omnibus Spending bill. With this money the City of Sedro-Woolley will be able to complete the Olmsted Park Project. Families in our community, and visitors to our City, will be able to enjoy the natural beauty within the Park and explore the surrounding trails.”

For more on how the FY22 omnibus spending package benefits Northwest Washington, click here.