WASHINGTON — The Department of Veteran’s Affairs says it’s still committed to constructing a new multimillion dollar health care facility, but local officials have not heard much about its progress.

The agency, which had plans to build a $70 million facility on the former Deshon Woods property off Route 68 in Butler Township, last year pulled the plug on the trouble-ridden developer and the 20-year lease of the proposed building.

If built, the new facility would replace much of VA Butler Healthcare on New Castle Road in Butler Township.

VA officials last fall said they were interviewing for a new developer, which potentially could change the location of the project since the original developer, Westar, owns the Deshon Woods property.

Four site contenders in three townships were verified to be in the running. And the VA said it would announce its choice “by spring.”

The VA recently released this statement: “The Department of Veterans Affairs is aggressively working to make the contract award for the facility as soon as possible.”

Municipal officials from the three townships — Butler, Center and Franklin — say they haven’t been contacted in months.

“I haven’t heard anything since March,” said Butler Township manager Ed Kirkwood.

Additionally, officials in the office of U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler said the agency did not respond to the congressman’s request for a report on the VA’s actions to correct the issues surrounding the original leasing problems.

“(Kelly) basically called on the VA to come forth and explain what went wrong and how they are going to fix it,” said Tom Qualtere, communication’s director for Kelly. “They have had not just weeks but months to do so.”

Kelly not only publicly requested a report, he wrote language that would have mandated the report into H.R. 4486, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

That act passed the House on April 30, but it still hasn’t been considered by the Senate. Therefore, the agency isn’t legally required to meet the deadline.

And it didn’t.

Kelly’s chief of staff, Matthew Stroia, said officials there haven’t heard from the VA in response to the request.

Stroia and Qualtere said Kelly now is considering what action to take next.

“When these things happen, we will follow up with a letter or call requesting the information,” Stroia said.

VA officials issued this response in reference to Kelly’s request: “The bill in question has not been passed into law; therefore, there is currently no requirement to submit a report. However, VA has taken significant steps over the past year to review and update its leasing program and will continue to refine and improve its procurement process for future projects. VA provided its response to the VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) draft report in March 2014 which outlined many of the specific actions taken. VA is committed to delivering this facility in support of the local Pennsylvania Veterans.”

The written statement additionally notes that “at the request of the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC), the VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reviewed VA’s procurement process for the Butler project that resulted in the award to the Westar entity. When the OIG report was released, OALC had already implemented many changes to improve its leasing program, including in its procurement methodology and its pre-award past- performance and verification process.”

The new veterans facility, as originally proposed, would have included three floors with outpatient services, including primary care, specialty care, mental health, dental, diagnostic, laboratory, pathology, radiology, podiatry, optometry, pharmacy, physical rehabilitation and women’s health.

Eagle staff writer Will DeShong contributed to this report.