Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced that Virginia will receive $16.5 million in federal grants through the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to improve infrastructure in Portsmouth, York County, and across Hampton Roads.
The grants will be matched by state and local investments, bringing total spending on new infrastructure projects to $23.5 million. The DCIP was established by Congress in 2019 to assist state and local governments with community infrastructure projects surrounding military installations.
The Hampton Roads Sanitation District received $13.1 million to support a sewer infrastructure improvement project in partnership with Naval Station Norfolk. The City of Portsmouth was awarded $3 million to upgrade wastewater infrastructure in partnership with Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads. York County received $313,000 for construction of a pedestrian crosswalk in partnership with Joint Base Langley-Eustis.
The Commonwealth assists localities in applying to the DCIP by sharing up to 50 percent of the federal match requirements through the Virginia Military Community Infrastructure Grant Program.
The announcement follows news that the U.S. Navy will locate its new unmanned Warfighting Development Center at Joint Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The Navy said the mission will bring tens of millions in direct, indirect, and induced economic value to the Hampton Roads region and the Commonwealth.