Community Project Funding
FY 2026 Appropriations – Community Project Funding
Title: Easterwood Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Relocation and Construction
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $15,000,000
Summary/Justification: This community project would fund a new air traffic control tower for the Easterwood Airport in College Station. The current tower was constructed in 1976 and does not meet the standards for a modern facility. With the growing traffic at Easterwood Airport, tower relocation is essential for future runway development to ensure commercial, university, and business traffic will have the necessary air traffic control tower to accommodate the growth while replacing the current 48-year-old tower. The recommended airfield improvements included in the 2022 Airfield Configuration Study identified the need to replace and relocate the tower to a new location west of Runway 17-35, to have sufficient line-of-sight of the entire airfield, address non-ADA compliance, add sufficient fire suppression infrastructure, electrical, and communications capacity. The Texas A&M University System is the airport sponsor and is committed to this project and the efficient operations of this transportation hub for the Brazos Valley. The Texas A&M System is ready and able to meet AIP matching requirements through passenger facility charge (PFC) loans, other A&M System funding sources, and Texas Department of Transportation funds. This project would increase safety, both for the traveling public and the air traffic controllers working at Easterwood. Easterwood Airport and the Texas A&M University System have begun engagement with the FAA to ensure eligibility under statutory requirements
Title: Texas A&M - RELLIS Utilities Infrastructure Improvements
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $10,000,000
Summary/Justification: This project would extend and update the campus utility infrastructure to support the buildout of portions of the Texas A&M – RELLIS campus. The project scope includes utility extensions (electrical, data fiber, domestic water, natural gas, sanitary sewer, civil site improvements, and storm drainage) to supply updated utility infrastructure to key areas of the campus in support of engagements with federal, state, and private sector partners. Much of the existing infrastructure on the campus dates to the 1950’s when the campus was still the Bryan Air Force Base and is insufficient to support campus growth and partner requirements. The shared Electrical and Data Utilities will be underground and include appropriately spaced manholes. The Fiber cabling supporting the 5G research network and future growth is included. The project also includes storm water improvements which will accommodate new culvert systems and open channel drainage. Improvements will include upsized concrete culvert systems with widening of storm ditches along the underground utilities installation pathway. The underground utility installation of sanitary sewer, natural gas, and domestic water service will complete the utility distribution loops for the RELLIS Campus. Texas A&M University System has invested in excess of $1 billion in Texas A&M RELLIS since 2016 to create a truly innovative education ecosystem in the Brazos Valley. The necessary environmental assessments have been completed for this project and project is consistent with the vision, goals, and analysis set forth in the Brazos Valley Council of Governments’ 2021-2026 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Title: Energy Proving Grounds Workforce Deployment Accelerator
Recipient: Texas A&M University System
Address: 301 Tarrow Street, College Station, Texas, 77840, United States.
Requested Amount: $15,000,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to fund the Workforce Development Accelerator center at Texas A&M's RELLIS Campus Energy Proving Grounds (EPG) to provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for new recruits in the energy field and transitioning oil and gas workers. This training center is critical to ensuring that as new energy sources are deployed nationwide, a skilled workforce is in place to operate and maintain these facilities. The EPG is state-of-the-art complex to enable first-of-a-kind deployments of transformative energy technologies, including advanced Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear power plants, hydrogen economies leveraging fossil fuels and carbon nanomaterials, and deep geothermal energy systems.
Title: TAMU UPD/Emergency Management Upgrade & Local LEA Technology and Equipment Upgrades
Recipient: Texas A&M University
Address: 400 Bizzell Street College Station, Texas 77845 United States
Requested Amount: $3,482,725.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to acquire critical upgrades in equipment and technology for a coordinated effort by the Texas A&M University Police Department, the Prairie View A&M University Police Department, and local law enforcement agencies in Brazos County (College Station Police Department, Bryan Police Department, and the Brazos County Sheriff's Office) which would otherwise economically unattainable for these agencies. The majority of the funding will be allocated towards acquiring new and improved vehicles, including mobile command centers, essential for efficiently managing large-scale events that necessitate the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement entities, while also addressing the need for updates to aging equipment, obsolete technology, and communication systems to enhance collaborative effectiveness in challenging operational contexts.
Title: Texas A&M University System Law Enforcement Training and Engagement Project
Recipient: The Texas A&M University System
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $6,349,200.00
Summary/Justification: This request proposes a comprehensive law enforcement training and engagement project within The Texas A&M University System. The project would provide training for officers at the A&M System’s 11 university police departments. Training will be provided by another A&M System member from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), home to the Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services and licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
Title: Engineered Solutions for Pediatric Devices
Recipient: The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway Suite 5226 Bryan, Texas 77807
Requested Amount: $10,000,000.00
Summary/Justification: This project is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars as it is a critical investment in pediatric health innovation, addressing the urgent and growing need for medical devices specifically engineered for children, especially infants, who suffer from chronic and life-threatening conditions. The Engineered Solutions for Pediatric Devices program will equip and staff a dedicated design and manufacturing facility focused on developing complex, miniature devices for pediatric use. Despite the high disease burden in children, ranging from congenital heart conditions to pediatric cancers and gastrointestinal pathologies, there remains a significant innovation gap, with pediatric technologies estimated to lag nearly a decade behind adult counterparts. In Fiscal Year 2026, this program will advance the design and development of a noninvasive wearable monitor capable of tracking critical cardiac indicators in infants, such as heart rate, variability, and cuffless blood pressure. In addition, the project will initiate development of at least one minimally invasive system for fetal and pediatric cardiac surgery, using sensorized, flexible end effectors tailored for interventions on babies still in the womb. These life-saving technologies will revolutionize care for vulnerable pediatric patients and help close the long-standing disparity in medical device innovation between adult and pediatric populations.
Title: Building a Personalized Phage Bank - Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
Recipient: Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Address: 600 Kimbrough Blvd Suite 512 College Station, TX 77843 United States
Requested Amount:$1,500,000.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to establish a comprehensive project led by the Center for Phage Technology at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, aiming to combat emerging antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections through the creation of an AI-powered phage bank and an engineering platform for rapid optimization of candidate lead phages. With a focus on diverse applications across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors, the project seeks to systematically build up the phage bank, indexed by AI algorithms, to address the urgent need for effective solutions against bacterial infections, aligning with the mandate set forth by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in 2010.
Title: Aerospace Health Education and Workforce Development (HSC)
Recipient: Texas A&M Health Science Center
Address: 8441 Riverside Parkway Suite 3100 Bryan, Texas 77807 United States
Requested Amount: $3,580,000.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to address the increasing demand for physicians and nurses trained in aerospace medicine by developing educational programs and training initiatives in collaboration with TAMU Schools of Medicine and Nursing. This project aims to prepare medical and nursing students to handle health challenges in spaceflight, providing inter-professional training and simulation facilities equipped with head-down tilt beds, emergency suites, and psychological intervention rooms, utilizing Texas A&M Health facilities including the Human Clinical Research Facility for research and training. This project would partner the Schools of Medicine and Nursing to develop and deploy a curriculum to address the unique challenges of aerospace health and train cohorts of college students to support NASA missions, including research to support research, pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight aerospace health needs.
Title: Multi-Domain Range Modernization Project
Recipient: Texas A&M University System
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $4,559,000.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to support the Multi-Domain Range Modernization Program, a national initiative to expand measurement science and testing capabilities for long-range imaging and directed energy (DE) technologies critical to national defense. Led by the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex in partnership with the Texas A&M College of Engineering, the project will integrate diagnostic tools, range instrumentation, and data analysis to close key gaps in our understanding of laser-air interactions, solar blind imaging, and high-power laser testing. This project is crucial for advancing U.S. capabilities in threat detection, secure communications, hypersonics, autonomy, and counter-UAS systems through cutting-edge measurement and imaging research.
Title: Advanced Reality Based Patrol Skills Training Program
Recipient: Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Address: 200 Technology Way College Station, Texas 77845
Requested Amount: $3,695,649.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to support the acquisition and implementation of a flexible, multi-system Reality-Based Training (RBT) program managed by the TEEX Law Enforcement Division. This program will utilize the new RELLIS Public Service Training Complex to provide realistic, scenario-based training opportunities for law enforcement and public safety professionals across the state of Texas. The requested funding would enable the delivery of advanced, immersive training modules that mirror real-world challenges such as building searches, traffic stops, and coordinated response efforts. The RELLIS facility offers a collaborative training environment that brings together police, fire, EMS, and public utility personnel to strengthen interagency coordination and operational readiness. This program will help bridge the gap between foundational academy instruction and the demands of modern public safety work, ensuring agencies of all sizes have access to critical, hands-on training tailored to today’s professional standards.
Title: Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in Food Facilities (AgriLife Research)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 600 Kimbrough Blvd Suite 512 College Station, TX 77843 United States
Requested Amount: $ 3,900,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this project is to address the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance by combining novel technologies for screening, prediction, and interventions, particularly focusing on areas like beef and dairy production and processing where biofilms create environments conducive to antibiotic resistance. By investigating how various microorganisms in biofilms contribute to antibiotic resistance networks and spread, this research aims to enhance our understanding of resistance dynamics, inform more accurate models, and design strategies to mitigate antibiotic resistance in food production and processing facilities, thereby safeguarding both public health and agricultural sustainability.
Title: Real-Time Evaluation, Improvement, and Manufacturing of 3D Printed Pharmaceuticals
Recipient: Texas A&M Health Science Center
Address: 8441 Riverside Parkway, Clinical Building 1, Suite 3100, Bryan, Texas, 77807, United States
Requested Amount: $2,499,020
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to support the Real-Time Evaluation, Improvement, and Manufacturing of 3D Printed Pharmaceuticals project at the Texas A&M Health Science Center through the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Scientific and Technical Research and Services account. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it leverages cutting-edge, real-time quality analysis to produce precise, on-demand medications, especially for pediatric and rare disease patients, while reducing dependence on foreign supply chains, mitigating drug shortages, and strengthening the reliability, safety, and affordability of our healthcare system.
Title: College Heights Utility Rehabilitation
Recipient: City of College Station
Address: PO Box 9960 College Station, Texas 77842
Requested Amount: $6,000,000.00
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to replace aging water and wastewater infrastructure in one of the oldest neighborhoods in College Station, College Heights, where existing lines date back to the 1940s. Originally installed when the city had a population of just 2,200, these lines now serve a rapidly growing area that has more than doubled in population since 2010 and sits adjacent to Texas A&M University. Due to its location, the neighborhood faces high redevelopment pressure, but outdated infrastructure has resulted in frequent service disruptions and limits further growth. The requested funding would be used to replace deteriorating water distribution lines that currently provide inadequate fire protection due to their limited capacity. Additionally, aging sewer lines, many of which are shallow and located at the rear of lots, will be replaced and relocated to front lot lines to improve access for maintenance and long-term reliability. These upgrades are essential to support both existing residents and future redevelopment in the area. The project will align with the City’s Northeast Gateway Redevelopment Plan, which outlines critical infrastructure improvements to accommodate anticipated buildout and increased demand.
Title: Brushy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX, 77803, United States
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds as it ensures the City of Bryan, Texas, can continue to manage the wastewater treatment and maintain the standards of the Clean Water Act while the city continues to grow. The project will cost over $90 million in three phases over four years, with $14 million already spent on trunkline development. It is essential for the City of Bryan to bring the Brushy Creek wastewater treatment plant online to keep up with the growth, trajectory, and aged infrastructure of current wastewater treatment plants. This project is crucial for East Bryan's future development, opening up new lands for development that are currently limited by utility services and allowing for improvement to wastewater treatment city-wide. This project is the backbone of future development growth in East Bryan as it is positioned to open up new lands to develop that are currently limited by utility service.
Title: Lago Vista Wastewater Treatment and Collection System Expansion Project
Recipient: City of Lago Vista
Address: 5803 Thunderbird Street Lago Vista, Texas 78645
Requested Amount:$5,000,000.00
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used to expand the City’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and collection system to support continued growth, meet regulatory requirements, and improve system efficiency. The plant is currently operating at over 80% of its permitted average daily capacity, triggering the need for expansion as it approaches regulatory thresholds. It also addresses aging infrastructure, including the replacement of two undersized pumps and installation of a new pump. This project is critical to ensuring reliable wastewater service, protecting public health and the environment, and supporting the city’s continued residential and economic development.
FY 2025 Appropriations – Community Project Funding Requests
Title: Brushy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX, 77803, United States
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds as it ensures the City of Bryan, Texas, can continue to manage the wastewater treatment and maintain the standards of the Clean Water Act while the city continues to grow. The project will cost over $90 million in three phases over four years, with $14 million already spent on trunkline development. It is essential for the City of Bryan to bring the Brushy Creek wastewater treatment plant online to keep up with the growth, trajectory, and aged infrastructure of current wastewater treatment plants. This project is crucial for East Bryan's future development, opening up new lands for development that are currently limited by utility services and allowing for improvement to wastewater treatment city-wide. This project is the backbone of future development growth in East Bryan as it is positioned to open up new lands to develop that are currently limited by utility service.
Title: SH 45 at Robinson Ranch Interchange
Recipient: Williamson County
Address: 3151 SE Inner Loop, Suite B Georgetown, TX 78626
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this community project request is to fund operational improvements for the SH 45 and Robinson Ranch Interchange in Williamson County, Texas. As the population of the project area and the surrounding region increases, so does traffic volumes. In turn, mobility along this stretch on RM 620 and its intersection has decreased. The overall community benefits of this project include providing emergency vehicles, increased mobility through this section, reduced congestion, and increased connectivity for local residents and neighborhoods to jobs, schools, and economic activity centers. Proposed improvements, ranging from signal timing to turn lane additions, will ease congestion, increase mobility and connectivity, and improve safety, especially for emergency vehicles. Williamson County meets the required cost share for this project and commits to match funding through the voter-approved 2023 road bond program. Williamson County commits to bring the project before the Transportation Policy Board for consideration to be amended into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) at the earliest possible opportunity.
Title: Texas A&M System Law Enforcement Training and Engagement Project
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $6,349,200
Summary/Justification: This request proposes a comprehensive law enforcement training and engagement project within The Texas A&M University System. The project would provide training for officers at the A&M System’s 11 university police departments. Training will be provided by another A&M System member from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), home to the Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services and licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
Title: Easterwood Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Relocation and Construction
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $22,500,000
Summary/Justification: This community project would fund a new air traffic control tower for the Easterwood Airport in College Station. The current tower was constructed in 1976 and does not meet the standards for a modern facility. With the growing traffic at Easterwood Airport, tower relocation is essential for future runway development to ensure commercial, university, and business traffic will have the necessary air traffic control tower to accommodate the growth while replacing the current 48-year-old tower. The recommended airfield improvements included in the 2022 Airfield Configuration Study identified the need to replace and relocate the tower to a new location west of Runway 17-35, to have sufficient line-of-sight of the entire airfield, address non-ADA compliance, add sufficient fire suppression infrastructure, electrical, and communications capacity. The Texas A&M University System is the airport sponsor and is committed to this project and the efficient operations of this transportation hub for the Brazos Valley. The Texas A&M System is ready and able to meet AIP matching requirements through passenger facility charge (PFC) loans, other A&M System funding sources, and Texas Department of Transportation funds. This project would increase safety, both for the traveling public and the air traffic controllers working at Easterwood. Easterwood Airport and the Texas A&M University System have begun engagement with the FAA to ensure eligibility under statutory requirements.
Title: Texas A&M - RELLIS Utilities Infrastructure Improvements
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $10,000,000
Summary/Justification: This project would extend and update the campus utility infrastructure to support the buildout of portions of the Texas A&M – RELLIS campus. The project scope includes utility extensions (electrical, data fiber, domestic water, natural gas, sanitary sewer, civil site improvements, and storm drainage) to supply updated utility infrastructure to key areas of the campus in support of engagements with federal, state, and private sector partners. Much of the existing infrastructure on the campus dates to the 1950’s when the campus was still the Bryan Air Force Base and is insufficient to support campus growth and partner requirements. The shared Electrical and Data Utilities will be underground and include appropriately spaced manholes. The Fiber cabling supporting the 5G research network and future growth is included. The project also includes storm water improvements which will accommodate new culvert systems and open channel drainage. Improvements will include upsized concrete culvert systems with widening of storm ditches along the underground utilities installation pathway. The underground utility installation of sanitary sewer, natural gas, and domestic water service will complete the utility distribution loops for the RELLIS Campus. Texas A&M University System has invested in excess of $1 billion in Texas A&M RELLIS since 2016 to create a truly innovative education ecosystem in the Brazos Valley. The necessary environmental assessments have been completed for this project and project is consistent with the vision, goals, and analysis set forth in the Brazos Valley Council of Governments’ 2021-2026 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Title: TAMUS UPD & Local LEA Technology and Equipment Upgrades
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 400 Bizzell Street College Station, Texas 77843 United States
Requested Amount: $3,396,411
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to acquire critical upgrades in equipment and technology for a coordinated effort by the Texas A&M University Police Department, the Prairie View A&M University Police Department, and local law enforcement agencies in Brazos County (College Station Police Department, Bryan Police Department, and the Brazos County Sheriff's Office) which would otherwise economically unattainable for these agencies. The majority of the funding will be allocated towards acquiring new and improved vehicles, including mobile command centers, essential for efficiently managing large-scale events that necessitate the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement entities, while also addressing the need for updates to aging equipment, obsolete technology, and communication systems to enhance collaborative effectiveness in challenging operational contexts.
Title: Aerospace Health Education and Workforce Development (HSC)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 8441 Riverside Parkway Suite 3100 Bryan, Texas 77807 United States
Requested Amount: $1,595,880
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to address the increasing demand for physicians and nurses trained in aerospace medicine by developing educational programs and training initiatives in collaboration with TAMU Schools of Medicine and Nursing. This project aims to prepare medical and nursing students to handle health challenges in spaceflight, providing inter-professional training and simulation facilities equipped with head-down tilt beds, emergency suites, and psychological intervention rooms, utilizing Texas A&M Health facilities including the Human Clinical Research Facility for research and training. This project would partner the Schools of Medicine and Nursing to develop and deploy a curriculum to address the unique challenges of aerospace health and train cohorts of college students to support NASA missions, including research to support research, pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight aerospace health needs.
Title: Personalized Phage Bank (AgriLife Research)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 600 Kimbrough Blvd Suite 512 College Station, TX 77843 United States
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to establish a comprehensive project led by the Center for Phage Technology at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, aiming to combat emerging antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections through the creation of an AI-powered phage bank and an engineering platform for rapid optimization of candidate lead phages. With a focus on diverse applications across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors, the project seeks to systematically build up the phage bank, indexed by AI algorithms, to address the urgent need for effective solutions against bacterial infections, aligning with the mandate set forth by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in 2010.
Title: Electric Vehicle Firefighting RDTE (TEEX)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 200 Technology Way College Station, Texas 77845 United States
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to address the emerging hazards faced by the First Responder Community due to the increasing prevalence of Lithium-Ion (Li) battery technology, particularly in electric vehicles, by conducting testing, evaluation, and research to identify health hazards associated with Li fires. Through collaboration with partners like the National Laboratory network and federal agencies, such as the ATF, the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) aims to develop training resources and educational outreach tools to ensure safe and effective response to emergency incidents involving Electric Vehicle Fires and Energy Storage Systems, thereby enhancing the readiness of the First Responder community.
Title: Texas Materials Accelerator Platform (TEES)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway Suite 5226 Bryan, Texas 77807 United States
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to establish the Texas Materials Accelerator Platform (T-MAP), utilizing artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced computing to accelerate materials innovation across critical sectors such as energy, defense, and environmental sustainability. The project will develop a pilot program for an AI Foundry to support rapid materials innovation. Funding would be used to demonstrate the capabilities envisioned for a full-fledged accelerator program. T-MAP aims to attract leading technology companies and foster rapid materials development through a "materials discovery-as-a-service" model, supported by requested funds to develop a pilot platform and facilitate significant breakthroughs in areas like sustainable energy and defense, ultimately driving technological advancements, economic growth, and societal benefit.
Title: Reconstruction of Bryan Avenue in Historic Downtown Bryan
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 South Texas Avenue Bryan, TX 77803
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this community project request is to fund Bryan Avenue capital improvements in Historic Downtown Bryan including removal and replacement of pavements along Bryan Avenue from 24th Street to MLK Street and along 22nd, 21st, and Pruitt Streets between Bryan and Main Street. This project continues the progression of infrastructure rehabilitation as identified in the Downtown Masterplan, a community-driven plan adopted by the Bryan City Council. Streetscape and landscaping will be similar to that in the previously completed phases of capital improvements including brick paver insets and necessary streetlight improvements. Also included in the project is the replacement of water, sewer, and storm sewer utilities. The requested community project funding would reduce the amount of bond funds necessary to execute the project and would be expended on demolition, street, drainage and streetscape construction costs. Those construction costs are estimated at a total of $8,306,385 exceeding the $5 Million request in Community Project Funding. The remaining funding is available through municipal funds and bond funds. Historic Downtown Bryan continues to attract private sector investment in previously improved phases. While located in an Area of Persistent Poverty County, the portion of Historic Downtown Bryan needing infrastructure investment is also located in census tracts observed as (APP) as well as Historically Disadvantaged Communities (HDC). Federal funds are an appropriate investment in replacing aged infrastructure with meaningful capital improvements for the diverse populations that live, work, and play, in and near Historic Downtown Bryan. These requested funds are for community benefit, and seek to continue capital improvements, replace aged infrastructure, and provide opportunities for development. The project has already completed an environmental review and has engaged with the Department of Transportation regarding an application for the RAISE grant program.
Title: The City of College Station Pedestrian Crossings on FM60
Recipient: City of College Station
Address: 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, TX 77840
Requested Amount: $15,000,000
Summary/Justification: This project will design two pedestrian crossings on FM60, known in College Station as University Drive. This project will benefit the City of College Station and Texas A&M University, by connecting the Texas A&M campus, on the south side of FM60, with the increasingly dense residential and commercial districts on the north side of FM60. Texas A&M has the largest student population of any university in the USA, and is bordered on the north by FM60, a major arterial roadway. On the other side of FM60 are residential and commercial districts, which are rapidly becoming more dense, urban environments. This project is beneficial and an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will create safe pedestrian/bicycle crossings linking Texas A&M University, home to the largest student body in the USA, with an increasingly dense, urban neighborhoods on the other side of FM60. This will create safety and economic benefits. These designated pedestrian crossings will dramatically increase the connectivity of the Texas A&M Campus, without impeding the economically necessary flow of traffic on University Drive.
Title: Multi-Domain Range Modernization Project
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 301 Tarrow Street College Station, Texas 77840
Requested Amount: $4,559,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this request is to advance the Multi-Domain Range Modernization Program, enhancing the nation’s understanding of long-range imaging and directed energy technology while aligning with NIST’s mission in measurement science and technology. Proposed investments include integrating diagnostic, range instrumentation, and data analysis capabilities to address identified gaps in long-range imaging and directed energy research, supporting applications such as directed energy, hypersonics, autonomy, counter-UAS, threat detection, and secure communications.
Title: Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in Food Facilities (AgriLife Research)
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 600 Kimbrough Blvd Suite 512 College Station, TX 77843 United States
Requested Amount: $ 3,900,000
Summary/Justification: The purpose of this project is to address the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance by combining novel technologies for screening, prediction, and interventions, particularly focusing on areas like beef and dairy production and processing where biofilms create environments conducive to antibiotic resistance. By investigating how various microorganisms in biofilms contribute to antibiotic resistance networks and spread, this research aims to enhance our understanding of resistance dynamics, inform more accurate models, and design strategies to mitigate antibiotic resistance in food production and processing facilities, thereby safeguarding both public health and agricultural sustainability.
Title: Broiler Breeder and Hatchery Management Program
Recipient: Texas A&M
Address: 2881 F&B Road, College Station, TX, 77845, United States
Requested Amount: 3,500,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used for research equipment to serve the broiler industry’s need for a highly trained workforce to advance essential research to improve the reproductive capabilities
of the broiler parent stock at Texas A&M University Department of Poultry Science. With the upgraded equipment in the project request, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Poultry Science Department in coordination with the Southern Plains Agricultural Research Service Center, can meet the demand for advancements in the area of broiler breeder reproductive physiology and hatchery management. The Texas A&M University Department of Poultry Science currently has multiple ongoing partnerships with the Southern Plains Agricultural Research Service Center located in College Station, Texas. The funding will support their ongoing joint research and be used for different essential research equipment including pullet house equipment, breeder house equipment and hatchery equipment. Texas A&M University Department of Poultry Science provides nearly half of the poultry graduates available to the poultry industry across the US. The current research equipment for undergraduate and graduate students for broiler breeding and hatchery management is either non-existent or severely antiquated compared to industry practices and technology.
FY 2024 Appropriations – Community Project Funding Requests
Agriculture
1. Title: Water-Smart Rice in the Lower Colorado River Basin of Texas
Recipient: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Address: 578 John Kimbrough Blvd., College Station, Texas 77843
Requested Amount: $1,247,300
Summary/Justification: This funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services, would reduce water use in Texas rice by increasing adoption of alternate wet/dry irrigation (AWD). Water-smart rice production using alternate wet/dry irrigation (AWD) instead of continuous flooding will decrease the quantity of water required to grow a crop by 20-70% and reduce methane emissions by 50%. The funding would support a one-year intensive Extension program that will provide outreach in the benefits and details of water-smart rice production in Colorado County with additional engagement from farmers accessing Colorado River water resources to the south. Outreach will include producer programs to raise awareness and provide details on the practice of alternate wet/dry (AWD) irrigation. Farmers and water policy stakeholders will be interviewed to document the cultural, land use change, and regulatory landscape of water needs in Colorado Co. rice production. Almost no documentation of these dynamics has ever been produced. The majority of Texas Rice is grown near the Colorado River in Colorado, Wharton, and Matagorda counties in the Lower Colorado River Basin and in Jefferson and Chambers Co in the Lower Neches River Basin.
2. Title: Farm-to-Table Entrepreneurship Degree Program at Austin Community College Elgin Campus
Recipient: Austin Community College District - Elgin Campus
Address: 1501 West U.S. Hwy. 290, Elgin, Texas 78621
Requested Amount: $474,000
Summary/Justification: Austin Community College's Elgin Campus serves rural residents in Williamson, Travis, and Bastrop Counties. In response to community needs, the Agricultural Sciences Department at ACC is a key educational program that meets the needs of surrounding communities. Over time, individuals have become increasingly aware of where their food is sourced from. This program would teach the technical competencies and business skills to run a farm-to-table business and will focus on sourcing local and sustainable agricultural products. The project funds would be used to refit classrooms and kitchens at the Elgin Campus, to support the launch of the Farm-to-Table program and ensure that substantial elements of the program can be offered via distance education. This includes hyflex classrooms, equipment purchases, and a new greenhouse. The Farm-to-Table Entrepreneurship degree will provide the students and the surrounding area an opportunity to learn about the business skills needed to run a farm-to-table business, as well as how to source and support local agriculture.
3. Title: Environmental Resiliency Impacts and Energy and Environmental Sustainability Education Programs for Underserved Students and Rural Communities
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: 700 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas, 77446
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Summary/Justification: This funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services, would be used to develop a research, education, and demonstration program about agricultural impacts and energy sustainability for K-12 students, teachers, and rural communities within Texas’ 10th congressional district. The ultimate goal is to provide effective means to address the emerging challenges of environmental quality through education. Additionally, outreach programs targeting low-income homeowners and farmers will be developed and delivered to the local communities. The proposed project will help educate and prepare local students, teachers, homeowners, farmers, and ranchers how to conserve and adapt low-cost energy and sustainable practices in their homes and farms. It will also train them on methods to mitigate the immediate impacts of environmental instability, such as severe flooding, forest fires, and droughts. This program will provide valuable research experience and excellent training on environmental resiliency impacts and small-scale and low-cost sustainable energy development in rural communities to undergraduate and graduate students from the predominantly underserved groups at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and local middle/high school students and teachers within the Texas-10 district.
Commerce, Justice, Science
1. Title: Ballistic, Aero-Optics and Materials (BAM) Test Range
Recipient: Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway, Bryan, Texas 77807
Requested Amount: $13,500,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would assist in the completion of the Ballistic, Aero-Optics and Materials (BAM) Test Range at the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and allow researchers to better understand turbulence, transition, and aerothermal phenomenology as they apply to aerodynamics, thermal protection materials and systems, and vehicle design. The instrumentation would allow the BAM to fully control ambient lighting, atmospheric pressure, transients, and obscurants to maximize accuracy and value of developmental testing of optical systems. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project will make important contributions to both civilian and military aerospace capabilities and make an impact on economic development in the Brazos Valley.
2. Title: Electric Vehicle Fire and Hazardous Materials Training
Recipient: The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Address: 200 Technology Way, College Station, Texas 77845
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used to develop a curriculum, including hands-on training, that addresses the needs of the first responder community to effectively respond to electric vehicle fires and hazardous material incidents resulting from these fires. Adoption of electric vehicles (EV) has jumped in recent years and is expected to grow even further. There are unique hazards associated with EVs, such as thermal runaway, exposure to harmful substances, and potential deflagration. First responders must be proactively trained to address specialized types of hazards that are presented by electric vehicles, especially as they continue to grow in popularity. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project would provide firefighters with the training necessary to respond to fires involving EVs.
3. Title: Spark! PK-12 Engineering Education Outreach
Recipient: Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway., Bryan, Texas 77807
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Summary/Justification: The funding would be used for PreK-12 engineering education outreach through “Spark!” at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, with the goal of increasing the number of engineering professionals in Texas. The project would do this through teacher professional development so that teachers can integrate engineering practices and scientific research into their classroom and community outreach activities to engage students and parents from urban and rural areas to increase awareness of engineering professions. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project would help to fulfill the statewide need for future engineers.
4. Title: 21st Century Mobility Test Bed
Recipient: The Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway., Bryan, Texas 77807
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Summary/Justification: The funding for this project would help to establish a transportation test bed focused on research and development, testing, evaluation, education, and training, to ensure automated, connected, and autonomous vehicles are introduced and operated safely in coordination with public infrastructure owners and operators. New technology and innovative transportation services can help to reduce risk on Texas roadways, but it is important that we know that they are safe before fully deploying. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it would help reduce fatalities and injuries on roadways as mobility options increase.
5. Title: Electric Grid Resilience
Recipient: Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Address: 1111 RELLIS Parkway., Bryan, Texas 77807
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Summary/Justification: This funding would be used to develop better models and simulations to represent the performance of large-scale electric grids during severe weather conditions, to reduce the risk of blackouts. The models would mirror U.S. electric grids, beginning with Texas’s own grid ERCOT, and then expand to other grids. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it would help to increase the resilience of the Texas electric grid against future severe weather events.
6. Title: Bioenvironmental Security and Training Program
Recipient: The Texas A&M University System/Texas A&M AgriLife
Address: 496 Olsen Boulevard, College Station, Texas 77843
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used for a bioenvironmental security and training program to provide advanced, experiential training with microbiological and bioremediation skillsets to protect against local and global threats to our country’s natural resources. The project would include state of the art equipment, provide students with laboratory and classroom instruction, and identify real-world projects so students can contribute to public health and natural resource conservation goals. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the training program would identify real world projects that the students can contribute to in support of public health and safety.
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
1. Title: Old Reliance Road Widening and Flooding Mitigation
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, Texas 77803
Requested Amount: $4,900,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used for a project to widen and mitigate flooding for Old Reliance Road in Bryan. The funding for this request would come through the Community Development Block Grant’s Economic Development Initiative. The project would widen an existing two-lane rural road to an urban roadway with four lanes of travel, raised medians and turn lanes, curb and gutter, and a major creek crossing drainage structure enlargement. The project would provide James Earl Rudder High School students with a sidewalk and shared use path to safely travel to and from school. Additionally, the road currently has an undersized culvert that regularly causes flooding over the roadway, leading to delays and closures due to heavy rainfall. Funding toward this project would benefit various residential subdivisions, a local airport, and local businesses.
2. Title: Waco Street Extension and Widening
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, Texas 77803
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used for a project to extend and widen Waco Street in Bryan. The funding for this request would come from the Community Development Block Grant’s Economic Development Initiative. If this project were to be funded, the extension and widening of Waco Street would create a major thoroughfare in Bryan, with curb and gutter, as well as a shared path. The project would include a roundabout at an intersection of five roads, including the extension of Waco Street, which is just over a mile away from the Blinn College-Bryan Campus. With the nearby campus, the project would also provide pedestrian and bicycle connection to transit routes.
3. Title: Leonard Road and Groesbeck Road Widening
Recipient: City of Bryan
Address: 300 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, Texas 77803
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Summary/Justification: The requested funding would be used for a project to widen Leonard Road and Groesbeck Road in Bryan. The funding for this request would come through the Community Development Block Grant’s Economic Development Initiative. In recent years, there has been an increase in residential subdivision development on the west side of the City of Bryan which has caused increased vehicular traffic. The project would widen an existing two-lane rural road to an urban roadway with four-lanes of travel, raised medians and turn lanes, curb and gutter, and a major creek crossing drainage structure enlargement. Additionally, sidewalks would be added to provide for safe pedestrian travel along the roads. The widening of the road would help the area as it is the most direct thoroughfare between downtown Bryan and Texas A&M’s RELLIS Campus, which continues to grow and is home to several of Texas A&M University’s partnerships with the U.S. government.
FY 2023 Appropriations – Community Project Funding Requests
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Title: Address Learning Loss and Improve Student Achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: Division of Research & Innovation, 700 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $2.4 million
Summary/Justification: This funding, through the Department of Education's Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), would be used for science and engineering lab equipment including scientific and training grade analyzers, microscopes, and computing resources at Prairie View A&M University. The university currently has a shortage of essential equipment in certain areas of science and engineering, causing a disadvantage for students in certain STEM areas that are quickly advancing. The currently inadequate equipment status in these areas at the university negatively impacts the development of the student body and the future technical workforce in Texas. K-12 students and teachers from local school districts will also have access to and use of this sophisticated equipment during summer programming to further promote STEM education.
Title: Fast Track Careers Training
Recipient: Austin Community College: Northridge Campus
Address: 11928 Stonehollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78758
Requested Amount: $3.0 million
Summary/Justification: This funding would allow ACC's Northridge Campus to develop a centralized workforce training program. This includes the purchase of new workforce-training technology, computers, and other equipment; as well as the establishment of a one-stop welcome center to help local residents identify a program that meets their needs in the areas of high-demand careers, including medical office support, patient care technician, business services, HVAC, welding, IT, coding, and network administration, etc., to be housed at this center in the Northridge Campus. Funding will also allow the college to invest in mobile training technology and equipment for ACC to offer these critical programs to residents who live in more rural parts of the region.
Title: Strengthening Forensic Science Education and Opportunities
Recipient: Texas A&M University: Department of Entomology
Address: 2475 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-2475
Requested Amount: $1.5 million
Summary/Justification: This project would form a centrally organized group of forensic science faculty that could be integrated with local activities, like a medical examiner's office, that serve and collaborate on local to federal needs in forensic science areas of importance. A taskforce will be formed to (1) allocate seed funding for research and equipment purchases that enhance interdisciplinary forensic science education and research at TAMU, and (2) evaluate the best path forward to form an Institute of Forensic Science at TAMU. An Institute of Forensic Sciences could ultimately be integrated with a local medical examiner's office or forensic science service center that functions in coordination with the Texas A&M System, and cities of Bryan and College Station, plus other regional governments, to provide local-to-national expertise as a national leader in forensic science.
Defense
Title: Integrated Research and Training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for ROTC Students
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: 100 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $500,000
Summary/Justification: This project will leverage the research capacity in the Center of Excellence in Research and Education for Big Military Data Intelligence and will provide valuable research experience and necessary training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) for ROTC students at Prairie View A&M University. It will equip the ROTC students with state-of-the-art knowledge and skills to address critical challenges in DOD missions using techniques of artificial intelligence and machine learning and will create research training materials that will be made available to other ROTC programs and encourage broad participation throughout the country. The requested funding would be used to acquire equipment for AI/ML research and training; encourage ROTC students to participate and complete the research training; and support faculty and graduate teaching assistants to develop research and training materials, deliver the training, and mentor the ROTC students in AI/ML research.Ultimately, the proposed project will train Prairie View A&M students to become the future workforce for the DOD and the nation, and at the same time, provide much-needed diversity in the nation's workforce.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
Title: Climate Resilient Agriculture Research and Demonstration Program for Underserved Communities
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: 100 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $1.5 million
Summary/Justification: The goal of this initiative is to improve the resilience of underserved communities by developing a research and demonstration program to address natural resource issues related to droughts, soil loss, flooding, water quality, and other environmental stressors that have had a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and communities with limited resources. Planning for greater resiliency and sustainability can better equip these farmers and ranchers, as well as both rural and urban communities to address future challenges. Through Prairie View A&M's Small Farm Institute, this initiative will have the following components: (1) research; (2) extension and outreach; (3) cooperative agreements/partnerships with limited resources farmers, ranchers and clientele; and (4) teaching/training of undergraduate and graduate students who can serve the limited resources farming community to enhance their knowledge and capacity to manage, monitor and conserve natural resources under a changing climate. Key objectives include: (1) Promoting climate-smart agricultural practices; (2) improving soil health; (3) improving Nitrogen management, grazing and pasture processes; (4) enhancing water quantity and quality; (4) increasing wildlife habitat; and (4) reducing damage caused by floods and other natural disasters. Prairie View A&M will use a community advisory board and focus group approach including NRCS field staff to identify the most vulnerable conservation districts and seek their input regarding appropriate project evaluation and dissemination of results for broader positive impacts.
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
Title: Supporting Communities at Highest Risk from Wildfires
Recipient: Texas A&M Forest Service
Address: 200 Technology Way, Suite 1162, College Station, Texas 77845
Requested Amount: $500,000
Summary/Justification: Wildfires have had a significant impact on communities within Texas. From 2010 through 2021, there were 2,532 wildfires that burned 58,423 acres, caused three deaths, and destroyed 1,764 homes. An additional 3,297 homes were directly threatened and saved by the efforts of firefighters. The funding for this project will: (1) protect communities at highest risk for wildfires; (2) increase resiliency of natural resources and threatened landscapes; (3) build capacity to support community planning efforts; and (4) provide recognition for community success. Community values, goals and demographics, combined with the community's resources, will guide how the programs will be implemented, as each community will have different priorities and needs. Following this interactive process will result in individuals and their communities embracing and sustaining the wildfire mitigation and natural resource practices which will produce sustainable mitigation efforts into the future. Some of the major accomplishments this project will complete include: (1) treat acreage through mechanical fuel reduction grants; (2) provide vegetative fuel break projects through grants; (3) complete Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) by providing CWPP development grants; and (4) build capacity by providing a natural resource leadership workshop to community leaders, completing train-the-trainer risk assessment classes to fire departments, and producing videos that reach people through social media platforms targeting human caused fires.