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USDA Official Tours Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Celebrates Earth Day

Name
Tammi Schone
City
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Release Date

USDA Rural Development Water Programs Director Kent Evans (Washington, DC) joined USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Bruce Jones on a tour of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that culminated with Earth Day celebrations at Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing (OSLH).  USDA made the announcement that OSLH has been awarded Water and Waste Disposal loan funds of $1,046,000 and grant funds of $854,000 for water and sewer infrastructure for 45 homes.  Construction will include connections to existing rural water systems and wastewater treatment facilities.  Funding of the project is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan, grant or loan/grant agreement.

“Earth Day is a great opportunity to highlight how USDA’s programs help protect our environment and safeguard natural resources,” said Kent Evans.  “Working together with the many dedicated partners on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, USDA Rural Development is improving living conditions in the region.  Whether we are helping families build homes, community facilities, or investing in water and sewer systems, our agency is committed to improving the quality of life for the residents living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.” 

Prior to the Earth Day celebration, officials visited the lagoon/lift station at Pine Ridge.  Following the celebration, officials visited the Red Shirt landfill and Thunder Valley Community Development’s Regenerative Community financed through USDA.  After witnessing the challenges and opportunities first hand, Evans’ reinforced the importance of the Promise Zone Initiative and continued focus towards the six goals outlined by the community, whereas one of the six goals is to systematically develop infrastructure by providing the Tribal government with the ability to operate, maintain, and replace current infrastructure and facilitate future development. 

Elsewhere today, USDA announced nearly $183 million in 60 water and wastewater infrastructure projects through Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program (WEP), which provides technical assistance and financing to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems for communities with fewer than 10,000 residents.

The Promise Zone Initiative is one of the Administration’s community-based initiatives in action across the country.  In these places federal experts are working side by side with residents and local leaders to create customized solutions; bolstering coordination across agencies and improving how we interact with communities as a ‘one Government’ partner; and relying on valuable data to help inform solutions and evaluate what’s working and what’s not. 

The Promise Zone designation enables USDA to work more collaboratively with other federal agencies in partnership with the Oglala Sioux and others across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on efforts to increase economic mobility and create opportunities across the entire region.  To view all active community-based initiatives in your community, visit www.whitehouse.gov/omb/place.

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (#USDARD ) has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; financed 180,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.