House Passes $6 Million in Funding for Coachella Valley, Imperial County Projects

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed two spending bills that would direct more than $6 million to California's 25th Congressional District, according to Rep. Raul Ruiz's office.

The bills, H.R. 6938 and H.R. 5371, now move to the Senate for consideration. If approved, the funding would support three projects: flood infrastructure in Cathedral City, dust reduction efforts near the Salton Sea, and a new public safety building in Westmorland.

The largest allocation—about $4 million—would go to the Bombay Beach Project, an effort by Audubon California to restore 560 acres of wetlands at the Salton Sea while reducing airborne dust near the town of Bombay Beach. The project also includes plans for public recreation access.

Cathedral City's Coachella Valley Water District would receive roughly $1.1 million for a regional stormwater channel connecting areas north of Interstate 10 to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel. The project aims to reduce flooding risk for homes in the area.

The City of Westmorland in Imperial County would receive about $1.1 million to construct a combined fire and police station.

A timeline for Senate consideration has not been announced.