Press Release

Welch Delivers for Communities in Southern Vermont and the Upper Valley 

Feb 6, 2026

Welch secured federal funding to create hundreds of new jobs, improve infrastructure and public safety, and support Vermonters recovering from substance misuse 

Welch secured nearly $60 million total for Vermont communities 

BURLINGTON, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today announced that he has secured $58.68 million in federal funds to support 38 Vermont projects, including projects in Southern Vermont, following the passage of eleven annual appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2026. Senator Welch nominated project recipients through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process.  

These funds will support all Vermont communities, including communities in Southern Vermont and the Upper Valley:  

  • $3,250,000 for Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation to create a new industrial park in Brattleboro that will spur economic development and add up to 350 new jobs in the next seven years.   
  • $1,000,000 for the Town of Woodstock to upgrade the 40-year-old Woodstock Main Wastewater Treatment Facility to optimize treatment and energy use.   
  • $774,000 for the Town of Hartford Police Department for public safety upgrades to enhance Hartford’s emergency communications infrastructure, modernize its emergency response capabilities, and improve dispatch capacity.   
  • $598,000 for the Rockingham Municipal Fire Department SR Station to build a new fire station with expanded emergency services.   
  • $500,000 for Bennington First Congregational Church to upgrade the historic church building to improve accessibility and protect the historic structure.   
  • $373,000 for Turning Point of Springfield to reduce substance misuse and increase recovery in rural, high-risk communities by expanding Peer Recovery Coaching and Community Coalition engagement.   

“A new infusion of federal funds will soon help Vermont create new jobs, update outdated infrastructure and emergency response systems, and support folks recovering from substance misuse. Congressionally Directed Spending projects direct taxpayer dollars right back to projects that strengthen and improve our cities and towns—I’m fighting for Vermonters in Washington and will always stand up for rural communities throughout the Green Mountain State,” said Senator Welch.  

Senator Welch’s CDS wins also include projects that will benefit Vermonters in the NEK and across the State, including:   

  • $12,000,000 for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) to support the creation of permanently affordable rental housing and the development of shelters in Vermont. (shared project)  
  • $2,000,000 for the Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity for home repair and remediation. This is expected to support 120 homes over a five-year period.   
  • $1,187,000 for the Vermont Department of Corrections for peer recovery coaches at six correctional facilities and 12 probation and parole offices across Vermont.   
  • $750,000 for VHCB to expand the Vermont Farm and Forest Viability Program’s capacity to serve working lands businesses, with a focus on beginning farmers and businesses.   
  • $375,000 for the American Association of State Climatologists to prepare Vermont’s first comprehensive drought plan, create an inundation flooding platform to better predict flood risks, and more.   
  • $250,000 for the Vermont Department of Economic Development to provide technical assistance to small and medium enterprises in responding to an increase in costs associated with tariffs.  

View the full list of projects championed by Senator Welch here.   

Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) funding was included in a $1.2 trillion bipartisan funding agreement that included 11 of the 12 annual appropriation bills, including Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.  

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