By SDCN Staff
Washington, D.C.–The Department of War Wednesday awarded a $7 million federal grant to North County Fire Protection District to undertake a $13.9 million project to construct a fire station that will enhance emergency response resources and mitigate impacts of wildfires on training and mission readiness.
According to the government agency, the project supports the readiness and lethality of Marine Corps Camp Pendleton and Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Detachment Fallbrook.
The North County Fire Protection District was one of ten Defense Community Infrastructure Program grants from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, totaling approximately $90 million.
The grants are a competitive program for states, territories, and communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to support military value, the training of cadets at independent “covered educational institutions,” installation resiliency, and/or family quality of life that benefits their local installations.
On August 15, the assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment instructed the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to invite grant applications for ten projects based on a competitive ranking of all proposed projects in response to a May 27 Defense Community Infrastructure Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.
According to the Department of War, the awards derive from Fiscal Year 2025 appropriated funding and leverage an additional $59.9 million in non-federal funding, for a total investment of approximately $150 million.
“Enhanced partnerships with state and local communities are critical to the success of our installations and their missions,” said Dale Marks, Assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment. “The Defense Community Infrastructure Program continues to play a vital role in building and maintaining these successful partnerships. This year’s program continues to build on the department’s efforts to invest in critical infrastructure with our defense communities to enable the readiness and lethality of our installations.”
The Fiscal Year 2025 grant awards recipients:
$14 million federal grant to North Slope Borough, Alaska, to undertake a $23.5 million project to install high-speed fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure to Point Barrow Long Range Radar Site. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
$2.6 million federal grant to Golden Valley Electric Association, Inc., Alaska, to undertake a $2.7 million project to install critical electrical infrastructure to the Murphy Dome Long Range Radar Site. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
$13 million federal grant to Golden Valley Electric Association, Inc., Alaska, to undertake a $13.3 million project to construct a new switching substation, upgrade an existing substation, and improve communication systems. This project supports the readiness and lethality of Eielson Air Force Base.
$5.7 million federal grant to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, Connecticut, to undertake a project to replace 11,700 linear feet of a water main to enhance water supply infrastructure. This project supports the readiness and lethality of Submarine Base New London.
$4.8 million federal grant to the Port Authority of Guam to undertake a $6.9 million project to execute near-term structural and safety upgrades to stabilize the pier, extend its operational life, and maintain critical functionality. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Joint Region Marianas.
$10 million federal grant to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma, to undertake a $35.8 million project to reconstruct a segment of US-69 and replace the Peaceable Creek bridge. The project supports the readiness and lethality of McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.
$11.9 million federal grant to the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, to undertake a $29.9 million project to construct a waterline. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.
$20 million to Kitsap County Public Works, Washington, to undertake a $40 million project to construct a 1.4 million gallon per day anaerobic digester, yard piping, and a digester control building. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Base Kitsap.
$300,000 federal grant to the City of Everett, Washington, to undertake an $800,000 project to construct a police boathouse facility. The project supports the readiness and lethality of Naval Station Everett.
Groundbreaking on these projects may commence once all environmental requirements have been met.
The Defense Community Infrastructure Program is authorized under 10 U.S. Code § 2391.
War Department approves $90M in Defense Infrastructure grants
