Tag Archives: Odessa groundwater replacement program

Senate unanimously approves capital budget ‘for the entire state’

The Senate today unanimously approved its version of the 2025-27 state capital budget, with the Republicans who helped develop the spending plan praising it for addressing needs throughout Washington.

“What we have is a capital budget for the entire state,” said 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, the lead Republican for the Senate capital budget. “We looked at this budget and saw fewer resources, so we made tougher decisions every step of the way, working on priorities that made both our side and our Democrat counterparts happy.

“This budget also leaves healthier reserves than we often have going into the second year of a biennium. When we come back next year, we can address unforeseen problems with those reserves.”

Schoesler’s full remarks prior to today’s vote may be viewed here.

“I’m really pleased with how well the Senate capital budget addresses needs throughout Washington,” said Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg. He became assistant Republican leader on the capital-budget team this year, bringing government-budgeting experience from two terms as a Walla Walla County commissioner.

“We all made sure there is a lot of support for K-12 education, which is our state’s paramount duty, but this particular budget is also good for things like water projects, housing and fish hatcheries. That makes sense, if you look at the mix of backgrounds and priorities of the four senators who crafted it. I’m also glad we made progress on addressing some long-standing concerns about support for public-works projects.

“The capital budget has a reputation for being the most bipartisan of the three state budgets, and now I know why. We placed a lot of trust in one another in the course of developing this – each of us tried to be responsive to what the others brought to the table. That shows through in the budget itself and today’s unanimous vote.”

The Senate capital budget has a total price tag of $7.3 billion, with an ending-fund balance of $222 million.

It features $1 billion for K-12 education and early-learning projects, including $563 million for the School Construction Assistance Program. There is $201 million for Small District and Tribal School Modernization construction and planning grants, which will fund 40 additional small-school construction projects. Another $143 million is provided for additional school seismic-safety grants, plus $12 million for the new school security and preparedness infrastructure grants program.

The Senate capital budget spends $770 million on a variety of housing programs.

Schoesler and Dozier, both farmers, noted the state’s fairs benefit from this budget, which allocates a record $12 million for competitive grants to agricultural fairs for access- and safety-improvement projects.

The Senate capital budget also provides plenty of money for water-related needs on both sides of the Cascades, with robust funding for eastern Washington water-infrastructure programs. Those appropriations include $69 million for the Columbia River Water Supply Development Program, of which $44 million goes to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, plus $53 million for the Yakima River Basin Water Supply Program and $13 million for the Yakima-Tieton Canal to start fixing damage to a wildfire.

In western Washington, $80 million is provided to fully fund the Chehalis River Basin Strategy, which includes flood control and salmon recovery.

There is also $85 million in the two-year plan for 15 fish hatcheries statewide – another record.

A total of $1.2 billion is allocated for projects at Washington’s four-year universities and other higher-education institutions. They include:

  • University of Washington: $40.8 million for Anderson Hall renovation.
  • Washington State University: $25 million for the Sciences Building, plus money for preventive facility maintenance and building-system repairs.
  • Central Washington University: $12 million for the emergency backup power system, $11 million for the university’s Humanities and Social Science Complex, and $10 million for an expansion of CWU’s aviation-degree program.
  • Eastern Washington University: $10 million for the dental-therapy lab, as well as funding for facility-preservation projects.
  • The state’s community and technical college system receives $400 million for various projects.

Once the House of Representatives passes its capital budget, budget writers from the Senate and House will meet as a “conference committee” to hammer out a compromise capital budget for both chambers to consider.

The 2025 legislative session is scheduled to end April 27.

Schoesler joins in celebrating new water-delivery system near Warden

An event yesterday celebrating a new water-delivery system at the EL 47.5 pump station, located several miles from Warden, attracted several officials, including 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler.

“This new water-delivery system is a key part of ongoing efforts to provide needed irrigation water for agriculture without relying on the Odessa aquifer, which is dangerously low,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “I was pleased to join others in celebrating the new addition to this needed irrigation system for the region.

“As farmers in the Columbia Basin and elsewhere know, you can’t grow crops without water. The serious possibility of not having enough water to irrigate crops would not only be devastating for this part of the state, but it would cause a huge hit to Washington’s economy, which relies on agricultural exports.”

Schoesler was among several speakers at the event. Other speakers included Duaine Anderson, board president of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District; Mark Maynard, Ephrata field office manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Tom Tebb, director of the Columbia River for the state Department of Ecology; and Derek Sandison, director of the state Department of Agriculture.

The new two-year state capital budget recently approved by the Legislature includes $21 million in funding for the Odessa groundwater replacement program. This program will help provide irrigation water for the part of the Columbia Basin that has relied on the Odessa aquifer, which is being depleted slowly but surely.

According to the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, the new water-delivery system will reduce the depletion of the Odessa aquifer’s groundwater by up to 73 million gallons a day. Go here to learn more about the new 47.5 delivery system.

CAPTION: Sen. Mark Schoesler speaks during a windy ceremony celebrating a new water-delivery system at the EL 47.5 pump station near Warden.

Legislature passes capital budget that provides strong broadband funding

The Senate yesterday voted 49-0 to approve a compromise two-year state capital budget. The $6.3 billion spending plan provides a record $413 million toward the expansion of broadband access in Washington.

The House of Representatives voted 98-0 today to pass the capital budget, House Bill 1080.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, who helped negotiate the 2021-23 capital budget agreement, said the emphasis on broadband needs is especially important for the 9th District and other rural parts of the state.

“For many communities in our district and other rural areas, insufficient broadband is a real problem,”: said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “This final budget provides over $400 million to help address it. Better broadband in rural Washington will help students relying on the internet and help small businesses that want to engage in e-commerce. It is also critical to precision farming. This will help put rural and unserved areas of our state on a more equal footing with more populated areas of Washington.”

The capital budget provides a total of $55.4 million in funding for several projects in the 9th District:

Local and community projects:

  • Adams County property/evidence processing facility in Othello – $900,000
  • Esther’s Home in Pasco – $1 million
  • Garfield Pool upgrade – $500,000
  • Wheat Land Fairgrounds (Ritzville) grounds improvement, including upgraded restroom and shower facilities and Americans With Disabilities Act compliance – $150,000
  • Ritzville downtown improvements – $105,000
  • Asotin Masons Hall – $20,000

Infrastructure projects:

  • Malden USDA water – $247,000
  • Othello water conservation system – $515,000

Department of Commerce projects:

  • Port of Pasco’s Reimann Industrial Corridor Center – $7.5 million

2021-23 small school district and tribal compact schools modernization:

  • Garfield School District – $5.224 million
  • Palouse School District – $4.63 million
  • St. John School District – $2.459 million
  • Tekoa Junior/Senior High School – $3.385 million

Washington State University:

  • Campus fire protection and domestic water reservoir – $8 million
  • Clark Hall research lab renovation – $4.9 million
  • Johnson Hall replacement – $8 million
  • Minor capital preservation – $5.497 million
  • WSU Pullman STEM teaching labs – $2.5 million

State Historical Society – heritage capital grant projects:

  • Gladish Community and Cultural Center roof replacement – $120,000
  • LaCrosse Rocks! A Heritage Center on the National Geologic Trail – $131,000
  • Pullman Depot Heritage Center – $266,000

Columbia River water supply development program:

  • Quad Cities (City of West Richland/Richland/Kennewick/Pasco) – $2 million
  • Odessa ground water replacement program – $21 million

Eastern Washington clean sites initiatives:

  • Pasco Landfill – $300,000

State Parks and Recreation Commission:

  • Lyons Ferry State Park campground reestablishment
  • Palouse Falls State Park day-use area renovation

Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board:

  • Cougar Creek – $485,000

Washington wildlife recreation grants:

  • Leland conservation easement – $770,000
  • Leland farmland preservation easement – $241,000
  • Lions Park Pride Rock Playground in Othello – $500,000

Youth athletic facilities:

  • Clarkston Club athletic field renovation – $334,000
  • Lions Park basketball zone in Othello – $350,000
  • Colfax Pool mechanical room renovation – $75,000
  • The Pit youth facilities – $33,000

Schoesler pointed out the capital budget also provides the state Department of Agriculture with $8 million to award competitive grants to state agricultural fairs for access and safety improvement projects.

The 2021 legislative session is scheduled to end Sunday.

Schoesler applauds Legislature’s passage of supplemental capital budget

Sen. Mark Schoesler is pleased with the Legislature’s unanimous passage of a compromise state supplemental capital budget that funds several projects in the 9th Legislative District.

The capital budget funds the construction and maintenance of state buildings, public schools, higher education facilities, public land, parks and other assets throughout Washington.

The Senate today voted 49-0 to pass the final version of the capital budget, Senate Bill 6248. The House approved it 97-0 Wednesday. It now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for final consideration.

“Representatives Dye and Schmick and I asked capital budget leaders to put several local and community projects in either the House or Senate version of the capital budget this year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “I’m pleased these projects are included in the final version of the budget, because several of our communities will benefit.”

The capital budget includes $25,000 in funding that Schoesler requested for emergency structural repairs to the Van Marter Building in Lind. In May 2019, the building underwent a structural engineering assessment, which determined that five heavy timber supports and new concrete footings must be replaced immediately to prevent the loss of the building’s main floor.

“The engineer who performed the assessment determined these repairs require urgent attention for safety reasons,” said Schoesler, “I’m glad the capital budget provides funding so these repairs can be done soon.”

The Adams County Historical Society hopes to renovate the Van Marter Building so it can become the Adams County Museum.

The capital budget appropriates nearly $1.27 million for the 9th District, including these other local projects:

  • Pasco Landfill ($1 million)
  • Design and construction of a pipeline and pump station as part of the Odessa groundwater replacement program ($175,000)
  • Pataha Flour Mill elevator in Pomeroy ($40,000)
  • Pomeroy Booster Pumping Station ($16,000)
  • Asotin County Library meeting space in Clarkston ($13,000)