Acting New York State Director Brian Murray announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is investing more than $21 Million in loan and grant funding across five rural communities throughout rural New York State. This is part of a national announcement where Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico.
These investments follow President Biden’s announcement last week of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework that will make the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. The Framework will replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines, helping address barriers faced by communities of color, Tribal communities, and people who live in rural America.
“Every community needs safe, reliable and modern water and wastewater systems,” Secretary Vilsack said. “The consequences of decades of disinvestment in physical infrastructure have fallen most heavily on communities of color. This is why USDA is investing in water infrastructure in rural and Tribal communities that need it most – to help them build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before.”
“Investments in rural infrastructure, like these, are more than creating water districts or placing linear feet of pipelines in the ground – rather, these are down payments for a community’s safety, wellbeing as well as their prosperity,” Murray said. “USDA Rural Development is proud to have been a partner on these and so many other infrastructure related projects throughout the state.”
USDA is financing the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The investments will help eliminate outdated pipes and service lines to safeguard public health and safety in rural communities. They will improve rural infrastructure for 250,000 residents and businesses.
USDA is announcing investments today in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.
For example, projects in New York include:
- Village of Franklinville This Rural Development investment of $6,000,000 in loan funding will be used to upgrade the public water system in the Village of Franklinville, located in Cattaraugus County. These upgrades will alleviate health and sanitary deficiencies with the current system as well as address standards/codes.
- Village of Sherman This Rural Development investment of $3,500,000 in loan funding will be used to complete a Comprehensive Stormwater Management Improvement project in the Village of Sherman, located in Chautauqua County. This project will benefit village residents by correcting stormwater management issues and improve the health, welfare, and safety of the residents.
- Town of Pembroke This Rural Development investment of $5,306,000 in loan funding and $3,744,000 in grant funding will be used to create Water District #4 in the Town of Pembroke, located in Genesee County. This project will extend public water service to residents in the town who currently do not have access to safe potable water.
- Town of Hastings This Rural Development investment of $2,729,000 in loan funding will be used to construct the Town of Hastings' Route 11 North Fuller Road Water District Phase E. Hastings is a town located in Southern Central Oswego County. This project known as Phase E will serve the remaining area of Hastings, yet to be served by water.
- Town of Volney This Rural Development investment of $2,214,000 in loan funding and $1,500,000 in grant funding will be used to create the County Road 6 - Maple Avenue Water Service Area in the Town of Volney, located in Oswego County. The project will extend water service to the town residents who currently do not have access to safe and reliable potable water. The new pipeline will connect the town's existing water distribution main with water supplied by the Oswego County Water Authority.
Background:
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves households and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
To learn more about these and other resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.