Cantwell seeking $4M for peninsula projects
Published 6:34 am Monday, May 18, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A pair of proposed projects in Ilwaco and Long Beach would be in line to receive millions of dollars in congressional funding if a request submitted by one of the state’s two senators wins approval in the months to come.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is seeking a combined $4 million to be included in the federal budget for the 2027 fiscal year on behalf of Ocean Beach Health and the City of Long Beach, which had previously submitted funding requests to the senator’s office for consideration.
They are two of several dozen requests submitted by Cantwell on behalf of municipalities, agencies, tribes and community organizations across the state as part of the congressionally directed spending process — commonly referred to as earmarks.
Members of the state’s congressional delegation can submit a certain amount of earmark requests during the annual federal budget process. Not all requested projects will receive funding, however, and some that do often will not receive the fully requested amount.
Among Cantwell’s requests is $3 million for Long Beach to make sewer improvements along Oregon Avenue North. U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Skamania) has also submitted a request for $3.2 million for the project, bolstering its funding outlook.
The project aims to replace a sewer main that runs 11 blocks north of the main lift station at Long Beach’s wastewater treatment facility and serves about 800 customers — including businesses, two low-income housing facilities, the city’s fire station and many seniors on fixed incomes.
Replacing the sewer main would reduce pipe breaks and sewage leaks, improving groundwater quality.
MRI funding
The senator is also seeking $1 million for OBH that would support south Pacific County’s public hospital district “in retrofitting hospital space to create a permanent suite for an advanced MRI system.”
The hospital district in 2024 had submitted a funding request to Cantwell’s office for a fixed MRI, and was awarded $847,000 as part of the 2025 fiscal year budget; that grant is currently being finalized with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to OBH officials.
OBH earlier this spring then submitted a $1.4 million funding request to retrofit existing hospital space in order to house the MRI machine. That request made it through the first of several cuts, although the overall funding was reduced by $400,000.
This MRI suite, OBH said in its proposal, would improve local access to MRI services by providing in-hospital advanced imaging, reducing dependence on a mobile unit, and eliminating the need for patients to travel to Longview or across the Astoria-Megler Bridge for essential diagnostic care.
“For rural communities, access to advanced diagnostics is not simply a matter of convenience; it is a matter of timely, equitable care,” said OBH CEO Merry-Ann Keane. “A fixed MRI at Ocean Beach Health would allow more patients to receive essential imaging close to home, without the added burden of traveling long distances or delaying care because of transportation, weather, or scheduling barriers. For our patients and families, that means less time on the road and quicker answers during what is often a stressful and uncertain time.”
In addition to being much more convenient and accessible for patients, it would also lead to faster diagnosis, treatment and emergency responsiveness for cancer, neurological conditions, injuries and other urgent medical needs.
“On-site MRI access supports faster diagnosis and treatment planning for conditions such as cancer, neurological disorders, and traumatic injuries, while helping clinicians keep imaging, follow-up, and treatment aligned within one care setting,” said Keane. “It is an investment in the long-term health of this region, and we are thankful for the consideration this request has received from Senator Cantwell’s office.”