New London — A series of infrastructure spending plans being considered by Congress would potentially lead to an investment of “tens of millions of dollars” to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and city of New London, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn said.

Murphy met with local business and city leaders and state legislators at City Hall on Wednesday to talk about the potential for federal investments locally over the next 10 years. The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by the Senate earlier this month includes $59 million for the Coast Guard Academy.

A $6 million portion of that funding would come directly to the city’s waterfront in the form of improvements to City Pier in order to accommodate the barque Eagle. New London’s City Council in April approved a license agreement with the Coast Guard to provide a berth for “America’s Tall Ship” adjacent to the future National Coast Guard Museum, a $100 million facility to be built behind Union Station. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the armed services without a national museum, and the association still is in the fundraising and permitting phase for the museum.

Murphy said he expects future federal investments toward the museum as part of an appropriations bill not associated with the infrastructure bill. Murphy is a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

“I’m the chairman of the committee that writes the Coast Guard’s budget," Murphy said. "Obviously this is a top priority for me, to continue funding the Coast Guard museum.”

He said one of the reasons for his visit to the city on Wednesday was to ensure the city is prepared with a plan to accommodate the influx of people associated with the museum.

“I think the plan’s there and it’s my job to work with them and refine it and find the money for it,” Murphy said.

New London Mayor Michael Passero said the city is seeking federal funds for expansion of the Water Street parking garage, which would provide a link for a state-funded $20 million bridge spanning the railroad tracks and connecting the city's waterfront and the site of the new museum.

“I’m just such a believer in the future of New London and there’s a lot of potential for federal investment here over the next 10 years,” Murphy said. “I wanted an hour to step back and start to think about the vision for the city and how the museum and the pier and the housing investments can work together, so that I can present sort of a united vision for the city when I’m making these asks in Washington.”

Among those gathered at Wednesday’s event were representatives from Electric Boat, the Coast Guard Academy, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, Southeast CT Cultural Coalition and U.S. Coast Guard Museum Association President and retired Capt. Wes Pulver.

Pulver said he was excited by Murphy’s commitment to the region and the Coast Guard. “The museum is just one piece of what’s happening downtown," he said. "This is exciting to see it all come together.”

Murphy called it a “unique moment in New London,” considering the number of potential areas for investment.

“This is an opportunity to make the plan they’ve been working on for years real,” he said.

Included in the bipartisan infrastructure plan is $25 million for infrastructure upgrades and modernization of the Coast Guard Academy’s power and heating system and $28 million for renovation of Chase Hall, which serves as the barracks for cadet and officer training school.

The Coast Guard Academy’s external affairs officer, Cmdr. Krystyn Pecora, said renovations to Chase Hall are underway, along with a major overhaul of a waterfront area known as Pine Hall, which is being transformed into the Maritime Center of Excellence. Murphy said the infrastructure bill additionally contains funds needed for upgrades and maintenance of rail infrastructure, including bridges and station upgrades.

g.smith@theday.com