Congressional staff flags $1.3M, $1.25M and $2.25M water projects; resident urges action on La Crosse floodplain

Mary Ganley, district operations manager for Congressman Derek Van Orden, briefed the board on forthcoming federal infrastructure opportunities and urged officials to prepare projects for FY27 consideration.

Ganley told the board the Congressman will select about 15 projects from the 3rd District for discretionary funding and listed examples that could apply to La Crosse: a municipal well and water resiliency project (~$1.3 million), wastewater treatment facility upgrades (~$1.25 million) and a Hillcrest/Altoona water-system replacement (~$2.25 million). "Fiscal year ’27 is fast approaching and the Congressman will be selecting about 15 projects from the 3rd District," Ganley said.

When asked whether Army Corps funding for a floodplain project would be funded, Ganley said the Corps matter "is being worked on" and that Corps funding is handled through a separate process.

A resident who spoke after the federal update urged faster action on a floodplain issue the speaker said has been waiting for attention since 1965. "We've been waiting since 1965 for attention and money funded towards it," the resident said, and asked that details be sent to the city's floodplain coordinator, Council Member Barb Janssen or the mayor.

Ganley said she would "get an answer to you as soon as I can" about the Corps item and the congressional office plans to notify the mayor's office when application notices and guidance are available. The board did not take formal votes on funding requests during the meeting.