On September 3, the 200th day after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack traveled to Louisa, Virginia to meet with local officials and community residents. The town has received a $3.3 million loan through the Recovery Act to help the community expand the processing capabilities of their wastewater treatment plant and improve local water quality. The project will create or save 50 jobs.
Like many rural communities across America, Louisa, population 1,500, is in need of investments and assistance to upgrade critical infrastructure. Mayor Jim Artz highlighted how important the USDA loan was for his the town. "Our infrastructure really needs some work, this is an old town," said Artz. "Conventional loans would have placed a tremendous load on our annual budget, because of this is a USDA loan, we are looking at a savings of $60,000 per year. This is big savings for a small town."
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $190 MILLION FOR RURAL WATER PROJECTS
Recovery Act Funds Will Help Improve Infrastructure in Rural Areas of 17 States
WASHINGTON, October 6, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of $190 million in water and environmental project loans and grants that are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Dallas Tonsager, Under Secretary for Rural Development, made the announcement on behalf of Vilsack during a speech at the National Rural Water Association meeting in Louisville, Ky.
"Recovery Act projects are putting people to work and helping rural communities of all sizes build a foundation for economic strength and future prosperity," said Tonsager. "The 27 water and wastewater projects we're announcing today are helping to achieve the Obama Administration's economic recovery goals to rebuild and revitalize the nation's infrastructure while creating or retaining jobs."
Altogether, USDA has announced $1.8 billion for water and environmental project loans and grants, benefiting people throughout the country.
The City of Washougal in Clarke County, Wash., will receive a $3 million loan to construct a one million gallon water reservoir. This small community is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River, with its lowlands and famous prairie situated on the west entrance to the scenic Columbia River Gorge. Recently, Washougal has experienced rapid growth and is in need of additional water storage to meet the expanding population. ARRA Funds will be used to fully fund the purchase and installation of the new water reservoir.
In Tyner, Ky., the Jackson County Water Association, Inc. was selected to receive $5.14 million in grant and loan funding to construct water and environmental infrastructure projects. The water association proposes to construct a supplemental intake structure to increase the water supply, build two booster pump stations and construct 14 miles of main transmission pipes. Jackson County is located in southeastern Kentucky and is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission chain and one of Kentucky's persistent poverty counties. These improvements will provide a reliable supply of drinking water for the association's 4,257 existing customers.
The ARRA funding announced today is being administered by USDA Rural Development's Water and Environmental Program which provides loans and grants to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas.
Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement. Below is a complete list of award recipients, by state:
Arkansas
Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority - $55,728,000
Delaware
Sussex County Council - $6,400,000
Georgia
City of Jasper - $8,090,000
Illinois
Village of Bureau Junction - $146,000
Gateway Regional Water Company - $750,000
Highway 37 North Water District - $818,000
Kentucky
City of Barlow - $1,325,000
Jackson County Water Assoc., Inc. - $5,140,000
City of Jenkins - $750,000
Maryland
Caroline County Commissioners- $380,000
The Commissioners of Sudlersville, (New WWTP), - $2,430,000
The Commissioners Sudlersville, (Storage Tank) - $4,500,000
Michigan
Village of Sand Lake - $2,673,000
Mississippi
Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority - $17,500,000
City of Ruleville- $414,436
Nevada
Mineral County - Hawthorne Utilities - $6,185,020
Oklahoma
Clayton Public Works Authority - $3,741,800
Pennsylvania
Freeland Municipal Authority- $13,336,900
South Carolina
Pickens County - $3,148,000
Williamsburg County - $19,025,000
South Dakota
City of Armour- $ 1,700,000
City of Corsica - $ 299,000
Virginia
County of Louisa - $2,195,800
Washington County Service Authority - $26,580,000
Washington
City of Washougal - $3,030,000
Wisconsin
Village of Linden- $2,633,000
West Virginia
City of War - $1,118,000
President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is designed to jumpstart the nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government's efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.
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