Community Projects Submissions & Appropriations

Community Projects: Fiscal Year 2026

For Fiscal Year 2026, the House Appropriations Committee accepted limited requests for Community Projects.

COMMUNITY PROJECT SUBMISSIONS

The Appropriations Committee is allowing each Member of Congress to submit 15 community projects from their district for potential funding through the FY2 Appropriations Process. Rep. Ruiz received an extremely high volume of requests and is recommending the following 15 projects to the Committee for funding in FY26.

If funded, these projects will bring critical federal funding to every corner of CA-25 and will increase access to health care, provide clean water for underserved communities, protect the environment, facilitate economic development, and improve critical public infrastructure.

Audubon – Bombay Beach Wetlands

$2 million request. Audubon is requesting community project funding for their Bombay Beach Project that would expand, stabilize, and restore 560 acres of emerging wetlands in a way that also addresses dust pollution near the town of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in Section 1101 of the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–575; 106 Stat. 4661), as amended.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Westmorland – Public Safety Building

$5,212,200 request. City of Westmorland is requesting community project funding for their Public Safety Building. Construction of a permanent public safety building that will provide a fire and police facility to accommodate the needs of the city of Westmorland.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 7 CFR 3570.53 with a population of only 2,200 persons.

Coachella Valley Water District - North Cathedral City Regional Stormwater Project

$10.4 million request. The Coachella Valley Water District is requesting community project funding for their North Cathedral City Regional Stormwater Project which will construct a regional stormwater channel that would provide a connection from north of I-10 to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel (WWRSC) to the south. The storm flow from north would be conveyed under I-10 and two Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks to the existing WWRSC. The design would collect existing flows passing under I-10 and provides a reliable and engineered channel under the UPRR that will provide a long-term solution for conveying flows downstream to the WWRSC.

The project has a Federal nexus because the funding is for purposes authorized by Title VI of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C 1381 et seq.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

Desert Recreation District - Air Filtration Improvements at Critical Community Facilities in the Coachella Valley

$3 million request. Desert Recreation District is requesting community project funding for their Air Filtration Improvements at Critical Community Facilities Project which aims to retrofit air filtration and ventilation systems and purchase portable air cleaners or replacement air filters to improve indoor air in public buildings located in our disadvantaged and smoke-burned communities and those used for the purposes of emergency evacuation and sheltering. The funding will go towards equipment purchases and labor of their 13 indoor facilities.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Brawley – Main St Rehabilitation and Water Main Extension Project

$3.5 million request. The City of Brawley is requesting community project funding for their Main St Rehabilitation and Water Main Extension Project which will complete construction of Main St from Eastern Avenue to Best Road. The project also proposes to replace the water main line from Highway 86 to Eastern Avenue. The project will deliver water to Colonia designated project area between Eastern Ave/Best Road.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Imperial - Community Park Project

$3.75 million request. The City of Imperial is requesting community project funding for their Community Park project is a regional park that will provide new park space and will help transform the community and region by offering this new park, new recreational and educational opportunities, and a means to improve public health. The physical improvements and facilities that will be developed for this project include mixed use trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, large multi-purpose fields, basketball courts, botanical garden, amphitheater, playground, new picnic tables, benches, gazebos, and shade structures.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Calexico - Heber Park Expansion Project

$5 million request. The City of Calexico is requesting community project funding for their Heber Park Expansion Project which aims to expand Heber Park located in the City of Calexico. This project will allow the construction of a new multi-purpose gym, outdoor basketball court with lights, a soccer field with lights, walking trail, athletic track, new picnic areas and seating, and a new parking lot, with new lighting and landscaping throughout the park.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Beaumont - Pennsylvania Avenue Grade Separation Project

$3 million request. The City of Beaumont is requesting community project funding for their Pennsylvania Avenue Grade Separation Project which would eliminate the existing at-grade highway-railway crossing with an underpass structure with a two-lane undivided roadway and sidewalks and includes the reconstruction of the Eastbound On-Ramp at the I-10/Pennsylvania Avenue Interchange to meet the proposed new grade at Pennsylvania Avenue. The Project site is designated as Senate Bill 535 (SB 535) Disadvantaged Communities and Assembly Bill 1550 (AB 1550) Low-Income. The CalEnviroScreen 4.0 score is in the 85% percentile for most disadvantaged communities in the state. According to the California Healthy Places Index (HPI), the Project’s surrounding Census tracts (441.01) rank in the 30th percentile of State Census tracts when rating clean environment factors. The two most prominent air pollutants within the Project area are particulate matter (PM) from diesel and PM 2.5, with diesel PM pollution worse than 89% of State census tracts. Poor air quality is a health risk for these disadvantaged community members.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in Section 22907 of title 49, United States Code.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Holtville - Public Safety Building Project

$9.25 million request. The City of Holtville is requesting community project funding for their Public Safety Building Project aims to establish a more suitable and permanent facility for the Holtville Fire Department (HFD) as well as the contract law enforcement officers from the Imperial County Sheriff’s Department (ICSO). This will involve construction of new facilities for both Police and Fire in Holtville

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

Coachella Valley Association of Governments - Salton Sea Reimagined: CV Link Extension Project

$5 million request. Coachella Valley Association of Governments is requesting community project funding with Alianza Coachella Valley for their Salton Sea Reimagined: CV Link Extension Project which will provide access to alternative transportation and will strengthen community connections to provide direct access to key destinations such as parks, medical centers, job centers and other essential services that will improve the quality of life for residents of the eastern Coachella Valley. CV Link is a 40-plus miles multimodal pathway that spans the Coachella Valley, from the City of Palm Springs to the unincorporated community of Thermal, CA. This funding will towards extension of CV Link through North Shore and Mecca, which is part of the greater community vision to have the continuation of CV Link over highway 111.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in Section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Hemet - State Street Rehabilitation Project

$7.4 million request. The City of Hemet is requesting community project funding for their The State Street Rehabilitation Project which proposes to improve portions of State Street from the City of Hemet City limits to the north to Domenigoni Parkway to the south, which is almost the entirety of State Street within the City limits. The improvements include pavement rehabilitation, construction or replacement of ADA ramps to meet current ADA requirements, and construction of sidewalks where none currently exist.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in Section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

Coachella Valley Public Cemetery District - Road Rehabilitation Project

$1.2 million request. The Coachella Valley Public Cemetery District is requesting community project funding for their Road Rehabilitation Project which will grind and replace the current roads that serve the cemetery and Veteran’s Memorial, approximately 1.3 miles of pavement. The project will also address portions of curbing that are in disrepair around the Veteran’s Memorial.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4)

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Desert Hot Springs - Indian Canyon Drive Bridge Project

$2.5 million request. The City of Desert Hot Springs is requesting community project funding for their Indian Canyon Drive Bridge Project will support the construction of two new bridges over low water crossings over the Morongo Wash along Indian Canyon Drive and Mission Lakes Blvd that sustained heavy damage due to Hurricane Hilary. These bridges will ensure these key roadways remain accessible for traffic in and out of the city.

The project has a federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in Section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code, as amended by title III of division A of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

City of Indio - Monroe Street & Interstate- 10 Interchange Project (Construction Phase- Active Transportation Improvements)

$5 million request. City of Indio is requesting community project funding for their Monroe Street & Interstate- 10 Interchange Project aims to construct 1.14-miles of protected bikeway (Class IV) and 1.02-miles of 6.5-foot-wide sidewalks along Monroe Street from Oleander Avenue (southern extent) to Avenue 42 (northern extent). The project scope includes: 1) Constructing a 1.14-mile Class IV protected bikeway with connections to the CV-Link regional path; 2) Constructing 1.02-miles of new ADA-compliant sidewalks alongside necessary curb cuts and modifications to driveways and crosswalks; 3) Establishing 2 ADA-compliant crosswalks, with accessible pedestrian signals and detectable warning surfaces; 4) Repairing 3,028 linear feet of existing sidewalks to ensure ADA compliance; and 5) constructing a parklet that connects to the 50-mile, regionally significant Coachella Valley Link (CV-Link) Class I multi-use facility.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.

Riverside County- Aviation - Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport Contract Control Tower Phase 1 Project.

$10 million request. Riverside County Aviation is requesting community Project funding for their Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport Contract Control Tower Phase 1 Project which would initiate the construction of a new Contract Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT). Work includes site excavation, bringing utilities to the site, utility connection, and installation of the foundation support infrastructure. Specific tasks include grading and trenching, and installation of underground utility infrastructure.

Congressman Ruiz certifies that he nor his family have any financial interest in this project.