New federal fact sheets highlight cities’ work with ARPA and BIL funds

Are you curious about how cities across Washington are using federal funding? Be sure to check out our two new fact sheets on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

March marks three years since COVID-19 lockdowns began. It also marks the start of an unprecedented amount of available federal funding for cities. First came the Coronavirus, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020 that sent $184 million via the state to Washington cities. Then in early 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) brought roughly $1.1 billion in direct federal funding to cities. Later in 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) passed, unlocking billions in federal funding for critical infrastructure projects across the country.

To celebrate some of the many achievements of Washington’s cities and towns, AWC staff have collected examples of cities putting federal dollars to work in their communities and feature them here:

• Read the ARPA federal funding fact sheet
• Read the BIL federal funding fact sheet

Here are a few examples from the fact sheets:

City of Cheney (BIL)
Award & source: $5.4 million | WaterSMART grant, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Population: 13,255 | 5th District
Project: Facing increasing demand for water and a declining supply, Cheney has worked for years to create sustainable processes for its water management system. One such approach is the Cheney Purple Pipe to Parks and Playgrounds Project, the city’s water reuse program. It treats wastewater effluent to Class A reuse water, providing it for irrigation on park and playfield green spaces. The $21.8 million project is a successful model for building climate resilience and sustainability within a community.

City of Grandview (ARPA)
Population: 11,020 | 4th District
Project: Downtown Revitalization – Grandview is investing 25% of their ARPA award to revitalize their downtown. A part of their plan includes providing five $10,000 grants to small, local, independent businesses to relocate to the city’s downtown. In 2022, the city distributed $385,000 in funding to dozens of existing local businesses.

Cities of Hoquiam and Aberdeen (BIL)
Award & source: $84.6 million | Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant, FEMA
Combined population: 25,731 | 6th District
Project: The Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project will construct two levees, totaling eight miles, to safeguard the region’s low-lying areas against repeated, destructive flooding. The project will improve storm drainage and protect 5,100 properties and 1,354 businesses from flood-related damage, providing stability to the local economy and eliminating burdensome and costly flood insurance requirements for residents and business owners.

City of Dayton (ARPA)
Population: 2,445 | 5th District
Project: Broadband Infrastructure – Dayton partnered with the Port of Columbia to use $335,000 of the city’s ARPA funds to secure a $2 million state grant to build out local broadband infrastructure. Because of the city’s investment, over 1,100 households and 140 businesses will have access to 1 Gbps speeds.