03.08.24

Tribes in Eastern WA to Establish New Preschool, Construct New Salish Cultural Center & Improve Drinking Water With Funds Secured by Cantwell

Projects for Spokane and Colville Tribes and the Salish School of Spokane among the 10 priorities across Eastern WA to receive FY24 appropriations, totaling $14.87m

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, announced that two tribes in Eastern Washington will receive federal funding for new community resources and water system improvements.

The Spokane Tribe of Indians will receive $3 million to rehabilitate the Wellpinit Youth Center to become a safe location for the Children of the Sun Head Start facility, a project also supported by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). The Salish School of Spokane, a cultural nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing the Salish family of indigenous languages, has outgrown its current location and will receive $2.7 million to complete the construction of a new Native language school located on the main floor of one building in the future Salish Family Haven supportive housing community. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation will receive $1.72 million to upgrade the Inchelium Community Water System and improve the quality of the city’s drinking water, a project also supported by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05, R).

“Funding for these projects will help Eastern Washington tribal communities construct important facilities that will help keep Tribal members safe and preserve their culture. The Spokane Tribe will be able to rehabilitate the Wellpinit Youth Center into a safe preschool facility, and the Salish School of Spokane will be able to construct a new school to help preserve the Salish language that remains so vital to tribal culture. Additionally, the residents of Inchelium deserve access to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water – these funds will help secure necessary upgrades to the water infrastructure on the Colville Indian Reservation,” Sen. Cantwell said.

These projects are among the 10 for Eastern Washington championed by Sen. Cantwell in appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2024. The other projects funded in the Eastern Washington region include:

  • $1.847 million for Gonzaga University’s School of Engineering & Applied Science to provide state-of-the-art equipment for academic departments housed within the Bollier Center. The project was also supported by Sen. Murray.
  • $1.7 million for the Washington State Department of Transportation to fund the preliminary engineering of five bridges in Adams County requiring reconstruction. The project was also supported by Sen. Murray.
  • $1.096 million for the City of Palouse to implement improvements at the Palouse Wastewater Treatment Plant and ensure the plant’s temperature, nitrogen, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels are within compliance, which will protect the water quality of the Palouse River. Rep. McMorris Rodgers also supports the project.
  • $1 million to the Spokane Airport Board to help expand an existing aircraft parking apron. Sen. Murray also supports the project.
  • $965,000 for the Town of Washtucna to help the town secure a clean drinking water source, reducing the risk of contamination and water shortage. The project was also supported by Rep. McMorris Rodgers.
  • $750,000 for the City of Ritzville to replace and modernize the city’s wastewater distribution network’s infrastructure. Rep. McMorris Rodgers also supports the project.
  • $100,000 for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation for the Nespelem Longhouse, a split space for cultural activities and emergency services. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04, R) also supports the project.

Sen. Cantwell helped secure funding for 74 projects across the State of Washington totaling $138.53 million; the full list of projects is available HERE.