Underwood announces new fire station in Ottawa, new well in La Salle among $12.6M in projects appropriated

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, announced $12,662,536 in Community Project Funding secured for Illinois’s 14th District in the 2024 appropriations bills was finalized Saturday, including projects in Ottawa, La Salle and Newark totaling $1,869,000.

The funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds to some of the most pressing needs in Illinois’ 14th District, Underwood said in a news release Saturday. Those funds will go to 14 projects throughout the district, which includes portions of La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall and Will counties.

Ottawa is set to receive $1 million to invest in rural health care in La Salle County for the construction of a new fire and ambulance station in the northern part of the city, where residents and businesses were experiencing slower emergency response times – a concern raised first after the sudden closure of St. Margaret’s Health – Peru hospital last year. OSF will reopen the hospital in Peru this spring, it announced.

The city of Ottawa already has conducted a study looking at call volume, breaking it down into the most frequent areas for calls. The study then proposed locations for a new, third station within a four-minute response time of the highest percentage of those frequent call areas. When asked about a rural community of 18,754 needing a third station and how unique that is, consultants David Slivinski and Dan Anderson pointed to Ottawa’s natural barriers. The Illinois River provides one access point from north to south, and the city’s two railroad lines provide another barrier. Increased call volumes, the city’s square mileage and projected growth to the city’s north and east also were cited as reasons to need a third station.

“This additional fire station will help the city improve emergency response times, better protect and care for their residents, and allow the area’s growing economic development to continue safely,” Underwood said in a news release.

La Salle will receive $500,000 to fund the construction of a new high-producing water well outside of the flood plain and near La Salle’s water treatment plant, allowing for accessibility during an emergency or flood. La Salle has five operating wells, all located near the Illinois River in a FEMA-established floodplain. The existing wells are not accessible during periods of flooding, which prevents necessary maintenance and water quality testing and poses risks if one of the larger producing wells fails, Underwood said in a news release. This new well will draw water from a different source and diversify the water supply, strengthening and protecting residents’ access to safe and reliable water.

Along with Ottawa and La Salle, Newark was tapped for $369,000. Funds will be used to fully rehabilitate and repaint Newark’s existing 50,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, including lead paint removal, containment and disposal. The project will protect Newark residents and businesses from lead exposure and ensure they have access to a safe and reliable water supply, Underwood said in a news release.

“From my very first day in Congress, bringing federal resources home to the 14th District has been a top priority, Underwood said. “These federal funds to support critical infrastructure, address our hunger crisis, improve services for survivors of domestic violence, and so much more, will have a profound impact on our northern Illinois community. These investments grow our economy and will make a tangible difference in the lives of so many Illinoisans. I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, and stronger.”

Underwood said in the news release House Democrats were successful in removing policies from these bills that attempted to make abortion illegal everywhere, slash efforts to fight climate change and threaten national security. Underwood said the bills will help keep communities safe, fight inflation and boost the economy.

“Taken together, the funding for Illinois’s 14th District and the funding increases for critical government programs will continue to grow our local economy and support our communities,” Underwood said.