Kelly announces FY2027 Community Project Funding requests

Image April 21, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced his fiscal year (FY) 2027 Community Project Funding requests for projects benefitting communities across Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District. Rep. Kelly's 20 funding requests cover all six counties in the district. The House Appropriations Committee will review these requests during budget negotiations in the months ahead. A final decision on the projects is expected to be announced later this year. "As we review projects each year, we are always looking for those that provide the greatest return on investment for taxpayer dollars. These projects certainly do just that," said Rep. Kelly . "I believe it's important for everyone to remember: this isn't Washington's money. These are your tax dollars at work in your community." Below are the projects requested by Rep. Kelly, categorized by county: BUTLER COUNTY Project: Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company Engine Replacement Recipient: Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company Address of Recipient: 180 Main Street, PO Box 242, Connoquenessing, PA 16027. Amount: $1,325,000 Benefits: The project supports the replacement of the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company fire engine. The current first due engine and first due rescue vehicle are 30 and 15 years old respectively, which exceeds National Fire Protection Association standards for service life and safety. Replacing these two aging vehicles with a single fully equipped combination fire rescue engine saves money and ensures faster response times with a full crew of firefighters and rescue technicians. Furthermore, deploying a modern vehicle that meets current standards is essential for the safety of volunteer fire personnel. Project: Brush/Utility Truck Recipient: The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company Address of Recipient: 313 East Mercer Street Harrisville, PA 16038 Amount: $300,000 Benefits: This project supports the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company in acquiring a new brush/utility truck. The current vehicle’s mechanical issues have compromised its reliability. This acquisition will provide the community with a dependable resource and improve response times, decreasing the reliance on neighboring fire companies. Project: Groundwater Treatment Improvements Recipient: Chicora Borough Address of Recipient: 111 Water Street, Chicora Borough, Pennsylvania, 16205 Amount: $1,232,000 Benefits: This project will replace the existing water filtration system and associated equipment in Chicora Borough. The current water filtration system is antiquated and requires upgrades to maintain compliance with safe drinking water regulations. Project: Bed Innovation and Safety Project Recipient: Butler Memorial Hospital Address of Recipient: One Hospital Way, Butler, PA, 16001 Amount: $2,500,000.00 Benefits: This project upgrades hospital equipment to improve patient care, reduce complications, and lower overall healthcare costs. By improving patient outcomes and reducing preventable adverse events, the project can lower avoidable healthcare costs borne by public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. It also strengthens local access to care, supports emergency preparedness, and sustains a major regional employer and economic anchor. Investing in safe, modern hospital infrastructure protects community health, enhances operational efficiency, and delivers measurable value to taxpayers by preventing more costly problems in the future. Project: Route 19 Waterline Replacement Project Recipient: Cranberry Township Address of Recipient: 2525 Rochester Road, Cranberry Township, PA, 16066 Amount: $2,521,535.00 Benefits: This project replaces aging, failure-prone infrastructure along a key commercial corridor, ensuring reliable water service for residents and businesses. By completing a previously funded multi-phase effort, it helps prevent costly emergency repairs, protects public health and safety, and supports continued economic activity. Project: US 422 Shawood Pipe - MPMS #83611 Recipient: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - District 10 Address of Recipient: 2550 Oakland Ave Route 286 South, Indiana, PA, 15701 Amount: $7,000,000.00 Benefits: The project involves major highway construction at the US 422/I-79 interchange to fix critical infrastructure issues. It will replace a collapsed drainage pipe and improve slope stability in areas with unstable soil. The work is planned over two construction seasons and will move forward through an approved contractor to improve safety and long-term roadway reliability. CRAWFORD COUNTY Project: Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity @ Bessemer Recipient: Allegheny College Address of Recipient: 764 Bessemer St. Meadville, PA 16335 Amount: $982,000 Benefits: The proposed Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity @ Bessemer would provide hands-on, industry-aligned training using modern equipment that reflects real-world production environments. Every dollar invested in technical workforce development generates long-term economic returns through higher wages, increased tax revenue, and reduced reliance on public assistance. Furthermore, skilled workers attract and retain employers, creating a multiplier effect across the regional economy. Project: Fellows' Club Volunteer Fire Department & Ambulance Service Recipient: Fellows Club Fire Department Address of Recipient: 1015 Strawberry Alley PO Box 355, Conneautville, PA 16406 Amount: $850,000 Benefits: This project replaces a 35-year-old pumper with a pumper tanker that is able to enhance public safety and fire response in areas both with and without a municipal water supply. ERIE COUNTY Project: Mercyhurst University Police Academy Recipient: Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Academy Address of Recipient: 501 East 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 Amount: $1,000,000 Benefits: This project represents an investment in public safety and law enforcement efficiency, directly benefiting both officers and the communities they serve. By providing advanced tools, such as high-performance driving simulators and virtual reality technology, the program will enhance officer preparedness, improve response times, and promote safer policing practices. Additionally, the driving simulator may be made available to community organizations for safety training, increasing public awareness and engagement regarding road safety. Project: Corry Regional Public Safety Building Recipient: City of Corry Address of Recipient: 100 South Center Street, Corry, PA 17407. Amount: $2,000,000 Benefits: This project will construct and equip a consolidated Corry Regional Public Safety Building to house the City of Corry Police Department and Fire Department, modernize 19th-century facilities, and strengthen emergency response and regional resilience to serve urgent community need. Project: Belle Valley Fire House Recipient: Millcreek Township Fire Department Address of Recipient: 3608 West 26th Street, Erie, PA, 16506 Amount: $7,000,000.00 Benefits: This project will replace an outdated fire station that can no longer meet the needs of the township. A new Belle Valley Fire Station will improve response times, better support personnel, and protect critical equipment, ensuring reliable emergency services for a growing population of over 54,000 residents. Ultimately, it will strengthen public safety by allowing first responders to operate more effectively and be closer to emergencies when every second counts. Project: Port Authority Continued Demolition of Multiple Structures at Erie, PA Coke Site Recipient: Erie Western PA Port Authority Address of Recipient: 1 Holland Street, Erie, PA, 16507 Amount: $2,000,000.00 Benefits: This project will clean up and redevelop 100 acres of polluted Lake Erie waterfront that is currently abandoned. It will turn the area into space for homes, businesses, and expanded port operations to support trade. Funding will help start a long-term effort that is expected to boost jobs, economic activity, and tax revenue. Project: Union City Borough Police Department & Administration City Building - Phase 3 Recipient: Borough of Union City Address of Recipient: 13 South Main Street, Union City, PA, 16438 Amount: $375,000.00 Benefits: The project completes a phased, already-initiated rehabilitation plan, of the Union City Borough Police Department & Administration City Building. This project enhances an existing public asset and strengthens downtown operations and long-term municipal efficiency. Union City is a small rural municipality with limited fiscal capacity and completing this coordinated rehabilitation strategy protects prior investments and ensures that the City Building remains a fully accessible and operational center of local government for decades to come. LAWRENCE COUNTY Project: Wilmington Area Agricultural Workforce Innovation Center Recipient: Wilmington Area School District Address of Recipient: 300 Wood Street, New Wilmington, PA 16142 Amount: $1,500,000 Benefits: This project funds the construction of Agricultural Education barn and year-round multimodal school farm. The Agricultural Education Barn, a planned multimillion-dollar facility designed to integrate traditional farming with modern, high-tech agricultural laboratories. The facility will provide students with hands-on experience in high-demand fields. MERCER COUNTY Project: Mercer County Cooperative Extension & Emergency Center Renovations Recipient: Mercer County Address of Recipient: 125 S. Diamond Street, Suite 103 Mercer, PA 16137 Amount: $ 551,081 Benefits: This project modernizes the Penn State Extension Mercer County office and invests in public safety, transforming the facility into a resilient emergency operations center and backup courthouse. By installing a backup generator, fire alarm systems, and security cameras, the project ensures the continuity of judicial and emergency services for a rural community vulnerable to infrastructure gaps. Beyond safety, these taxpayer-funded upgrades revitalize economic and youth development by restoring a modernized kitchen for agricultural training and providing ADA-compliant spaces for 4-H programs. Ultimately, these energy-efficient renovations create a secure, high-tech hub for civic engagement, reducing long-term operating costs while ensuring all residents have equitable access to essential county services. Project: Sharon Regional Health System Medical Imaging Modernization Project Recipient: Sharon Regional Medical Center Address of Recipient: 740 East State Street, Sharon, PA, 16146 Amount: $1,355,000.00 Benefits: The project would be used for procurement of a CT Machine to be installed at Sharon Regional Medical Center (SRMC) flagship hospital. This project supports high-quality cardiac imaging, helping SRMC keep patients in the community for timely diagnosis and treatment rather than delaying care or shifting cases to more distant facilities - reducing transportation and transfer-related costs for families and the healthcare system. Project: From the Founding to the Future: Connecting Grove City Parks/Recreation Opportunities through Facility, Street and Trail Improvements Recipient: Borough of Grove City Address of Recipient: 123 West Main Street Grove City, PA 16127 Amount: $2,734,248.00 Benefits: The project is an investment in public infrastructure throughout Grove City and the surrounding Mercer County region. The project will modernize aging roadway, park, and trail infrastructure while creating safe, ADA-accessible connections between Cunningham Mill Park and Hunter Farm Park. The project will expand access to public parks, support youth sports programming, and improve transportation safety for residents. Project: Lincoln Avenue Corridor Infrastructure Modernization Project Recipient: Borough Of Grove City Address of Recipient: 123 W. Main Street Grove City, PA 16127 Amount: $3,100,000.00 Benefits: The project addresses essential public infrastructure needs in the Lincoln Avenue corridor, which serves one of the district's major manufacturers and provides a key connection to regional freight routes. Improving the roadway, sidewalks, and truck turning movements ensures safer and more efficient transportation for residents, employees, and commercial carriers. The project also upgrades the stormwater system to eliminate chronic flooding that damages public infrastructure, disrupts access, and increases long-term maintenance costs. Project: Shenango Valley Multipurpose Community Center Rehabilitation Project Recipient: City of Hermitage Address of Recipient: 800 N. Hermitage Road Hermitage, PA 16148 Amount: $2,100,000.00 Benefits: This project repurposes a National Guard Armory building that is being decommissioned and reserves it for community use. The project addresses an existing gap related to indoor recreation and community space by rehabilitating the existing building. The building is ideally located to serve the youth, seniors, and other adults living in the Shenango Valley. VENANGO COUNTY Project: Venango County Public Safety Radio Recipient: County of Venango Address of Recipient: 1174 Elk St, Franklin, PA 16323 Amount: $4,000,000 Benefits: The project would establish an improved radio system that reduces operational risk, increases public safety, and provides a durable asset that maximizes the value of taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers benefit through safer communities, reduced duplication of services, and more efficient use of public safety resources. 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