The White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico is receiving $6.4 million in federal funding for the construction of a new base fire station.
The funding is part of a very large $126.1 million secured in the recent Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for fiscal year 2023.
Besides the fire station project, WSMR, which is the largest military installation in the country, is receiving another $6.4 million for the building of what is being called the Las Cruces Substation.
A smaller $3.6 million is slated for the construction of a missile assembly building at White Sands.
Other military bases in New Mexico did equally well in the omnibus legislation, with the Kirtland Air Force Base receiving $11.1 million for the construction of an Air Education and Training Command Pipeline Dorm.
Kirtland is additionally receiving $4.7 million for the construction of the headquarters building of the Joint Navigational War Center; along with $2.8 million for a small arms storage facility.
Additional Kirtland funding will see $540,000 slated for the base’s Explosive Operations Building.
The Cannon Air Force Base, 7 miles to the southwest of Clovis, is getting $8 million for the building of a munitions storage area; along with $4 million for a Security Forces Squad Operations Building.
The total Omnibus for 2023 encompasses some $858 billion in defense spending. According to a press release issued from the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the bill also includes “$19 billion in defense spending for military construction and family housing this year, which is $4.1 billion over fiscal year 2022.”
By Garry Boulard
