House committee forwards roughly $34.7 million in Build Kansas Fund requests for federal review

A House committee chaired by Chairman Waymaster on March 12 reviewed seven Build Kansas Fund applications and voted to forward all seven to the next step of federal award consideration, totaling $34,726,571 in state matching requests.

The Build Kansas Fund is used to provide state matching funds to unlock larger federal grants. Matthew Volts of the Kansas Infrastructure Hub, speaking for the Build Kansas steering committee, presented the applications and the committee recommended each application for approval after steering-committee review on March 12. "We have 7 applications to review today," Volts said. Several members asked questions about matching ratios and federal program status; Volts repeatedly noted that several federal grant programs are currently under review. "The grant program is paused right now. It's under the federal review, right now by the agency that's in charge of it," he said.

Why it matters: The committee's recommendations, if the federal agencies award the grants, would unlock roughly $104.98 million in combined federal funding and local contributions and support projects that range from water-treatment upgrades and a 69-mile pipeline to storm-sewer reconstruction and airport safety improvements.

Project summaries and committee action

- 2025-086, Rural Water District No. 5 (Crawford County). Build Kansas request: $356,250; local contribution: $18,750 (cash $10,000; $8,750 in-kind); federal funding to be unlocked: $1,125,000; total project cost: $1,500,000. Purpose: upgrades to two water treatment plants, SCADA installation, meter/control improvements and power backups. Steering committee recommended approval; the committee forwarded the application for federal award consideration by consensus.

- 2025-087, City of Wichita (storm sewer reconstruction; PROTECT grant). Build Kansas request: $7,156,200; local contribution: $2,385,400; federal funding to be unlocked: $38,166,400; total project cost: $47,708,000. Work areas include Emporia/Wabash neighborhoods, Murdoch Avenue, walls and storm gates along the I-35 Drainage Canal, and lateral improvements to the Frisco Drainage Canal. The city increased its local match after the advisory committee tabled the application previously; steering committee recommended approval and the committee forwarded it.

- 2025-088, Gardiner Municipal Airport (airport infrastructure). Build Kansas request: $24,736; local contribution (cash): $2,749; federal funding to be unlocked: $522,215; total cost: $549,700. Project: land acquisition and clearing at the south end of the north-south runway to improve approach/departure safety. Steering committee recommended approval; the committee forwarded it.

- 2025-090, City of Hays (BRIC – Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities). Build Kansas request: $15,833,333; Build Kansas local contribution shown for this portion: $833,333 (5% of this request); additional local contributions: $68,333,334 from a half-cent sales tax and other sources; federal funding requested: $50,000,000 (maximum); total stated project cost: $135,000,000. Project: construction of a 69-mile, 24-inch water pipeline, seven wells, a 500,000-gallon storage tank and a pump station to supply Hays and (in a future connection) Russell. Steering committee recommended approval and the committee forwarded it. Volts said Russell plans to apply next year and estimated the final connection to Russell would need roughly $25,000,000.

- 2025-092, Hugoton Municipal Airport (airport infrastructure). Build Kansas request: $18,249; local contribution: $18,249 (Hugoton supplying 50% of the local match); federal funding to be unlocked: $328,482; total cost: $364,980. Project: replace taxiway/runway lighting and signage, PAPI system, wind cone, electrical vaults and add runway identifier lights to support general aviation operations. Volts disclosed a potential conflict: his wife works for Garver Engineering, the project's engineer; he said she is not involved in the project.

- 2025-0594, City of Coffeyville (BRIC). Build Kansas request: $9,053; local contribution: $6,035 (40% local match); federal funding to be unlocked: $45,264; total cost: $60,352. Project: installation of two new rotating warning sirens (Whelen models) to improve coverage and warning times. Steering committee recommended approval and the committee forwarded it.

- 2025-097, Leavenworth Waterworks Board (BRIC). Build Kansas request: $11,328,750; local contribution (cash): $596,250 (5% of this request); federal funding to be unlocked: $35,775,000; total project cost: $47,700,000. Project: construct a second treatment train at the South Treatment Plant to increase resiliency; the North plant is susceptible to Missouri River level fluctuations. Steering committee recommended approval and the committee forwarded it.

Federal program status and funds remaining

Volts told the committee that many federal grant programs are under review and some have been paused or are subject to possible rescission. "The criteria is being rewritten. The rules are being rewritten," he said, adding that federal agencies were given 90 days to review programs and republish criteria. Committee members asked about the Build Kansas Fund's available balance; Volts said roughly $65 million remained and noted that the $34.7 million forwarded at this meeting would add to the portion of funds awaiting federal award decisions.

Minutes and adjournment

The committee adopted the January 27 and February 26 minutes on a motion by Representative Hoffman, seconded by Representative Helvorsen, by voice vote. The committee adjourned at the end of the session.

(Reporting note: the Build Kansas Fund provides state matching dollars intended to unlock federal grants. Federal program names discussed included the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant, the PROTECT transportation resilience grant, and the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program.)