EUGENE, Ore. — $1-million dollars in federal funding is headed to Lane County to help with emergency communications.
The money comes from a community project funding request made by representative Val Hoyle last year (2023). It comes in the wake of a number of severe weather emergencies dating back to 2013, where communication issues among first responders were a massive issue, affecting responsiveness and causing safety issues.
“It is my job to make sure that the federal tax dollars that Oregonians send to Washington D.C come back here to invest in the priorities that each community sets,” said Rep. Hoyle. “Fundamentally, I think that our tax dollars should come back here, and get to work on what’s important to our communities as opposed to being sent to a different state.”
During this year’s ice storm, and during previous large scale emergencies, the loss of communication not only hampered first responders, but in some cases has actively endangered them. During the press event Tuesday afternoon, in Eugene, a map was used to show where there are current radio coverage gaps, which has put first responders in harms way previously.
“These new portable radios secured with this grant will allow us to talk across three brands. We will get true interoperability with law enforcement, all the fire agencies, emergency operations centers,” said South Lane Fire District Chief John Wooten. “It’s unbelievable what this technology is going to bring to us in terms of safety.”
The grant for these radios, and new radio tower, are part of the Community Project Funding Request Program.
Alongside this project Hoyle requested and had funding approved for 13 other projects, For next year, 15 new projects have had funding requests submitted, centering on topics like affordable housing, public safety, and workforce development.
Below are the projects selected by Congresswoman Val Hoyle for Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District in Fiscal Year 2025:
BENTON COUNTY
- Corvallis Backup 9-1-1 Center – Corvallis, OR – $1,980,000
- Workforce and Middle-income Housing Infrastructure Support – Philomath, OR – $1,900,000
COOS COUNTY
- Charleston Shipyard Capacity Enhancement Project – Coos Bay, OR – $1,500,000
CURRY COUNTY
- Rogue Siskiyou Regional Wildfire Training Center Construction – Gold Beach, OR – $2,000,000
- Port of Port Orford Affordable Workforce Housing – Port Orford, OR – $1,500,000
DOUGLAS COUNTY
- Emergency Communications Radio Tower for Rural Community Coverage – Roseburg, OR – $1,450,000
- UCC Affordable Housing for Rural Workforce Training Students – Roseburg, OR – $4,000,000
LANE COUNTY
- Cottage Grove Community Policing Project – Cottage Grove, OR – $500,000
- Lane County Rural Fire Radio Network Resilience Project – Lane County, OR – $1,500,000
- Siuslaw River Slope Stabilization Project – Florence, OR – $800,000
- Springfield Police Emergency Response Equipment – Springfield, OR – $1,000,000
LINCOLN COUNTY
- Siletz Fire District – Fire Station and Emergency Shelter – Siletz OR – $1,350,000
- OCCC Maritime Welding Workforce and Training Facility – Newport, OR – $2,991,750
- Central Oregon Coast Rural Public Safety Assistance – Waldport, OR – $3,000,000
- Newport Critical Wastewater Improvements – Newport, OR- $3,000,000
“These 15 projects reflect the priorities of local communities who know their needs best,” said Rep. Hoyle. “If funded, these projects will support the construction of affordable housing, promote workforce development, advance public safety and more.”
For more information about the Community Project Funding Request Program, click here.