The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing over $1 Million in rural projects through the Community Facilities program. This is part of a national announcement where USDA is investing more than $46 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit 363,000 rural residents in 16 states.
“Rural America relies on safe, modern community facilities to ensure access to essential services such as education, health care and public safety,” USDA Rural Development NY State Director Richard Mayfield said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Today’s announcements include projects in: Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Background:
USDA is funding 44 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities.
Projects in rural New York include:
- Town of Waddington This Rural Development investment of $185,000 in loan and $32,000 in grant will be used to purchase a highway plow truck to replace the unreliable 2001 plow truck. The new plow truck will help maintain the town roads and highways in order to keep the residents safe. The town of Waddington is located in the St. Lawrence County, N.Y.
- Village of Heuvelton This Rural Development investment of $59,000 in loan and $30,000 in grant will be used to purchase a loader with a 6 in 1 large fork bucket and a snow pusher. The new loader will help maintain the village's streets to keep the residents safe. The village of Heuvelton is in St. Lawrence County of N.Y., with a population of 714.
- Town of Burke This Rural Development investment of $152,000 in loan and $50,000 in grant will be used to purchase a plow truck to replace the undependable plow truck. The new plow truck will help maintain the town roads and highways to keep the residents of Franklin County safe.
- Springville Volunteer Fire Company This Rural Development investment of $215,000 in loan and $54,900 in grant will be used for a parking lot and sidewalks for Springville Volunteer Fire Company Inc. The project consists of replacing the parking lot and sidewalks. This parking lot will better serve the command post for emergencies, meetings, and public functions.
- Village of Champlain This Rural Development investment of $36,000 in loan and $35,000 in grant will be used to purchase a replacement plow truck. The current plow is older and unreliable, the maintenance/repair costs are becoming extensive. The new snowplow truck will ensure the village has safe and reliable equipment to remove snow and ice.
- Brushton Volunteer Fire Association This Rural Development investment of $143,000 in loan and $50,000 in grant will be used to provide a smaller engine so it will fit in the fire station. The truck will meet all present National Fire Protection Act standards. The fire association is in a very rural village, so they will also serve residents within the town of Moira.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility details. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants a detailed overview of the application process.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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