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Greene County Georgia Maximizing USDA’s Programs for Rural Communities

Name
Deborah Callahan
City
UNION POINT
Release Date

   Department of Agriculture officials today visited Greene County, Georgia to announce projects to replace wastewater treatment infrastructure in the City of Union Point and improve streetscapes in the City of Greensboro, Georgia.  Funding comes from the Rural Development (RD) Mission Area which is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America.

   “Ensuring our small towns have infrastructure and jobs is important to our national economy,” said Jill Stuckey, USDA Rural Development Georgia State Director.

   USDA Rural Development (RD) delivers business, community facility, utilities and housing programs in small towns and rural areas. RD loans and grants can be used for a variety of purposes, for example: to create or improve fresh water, sewer, and electrical systems; help low income families buy their first homes; and help developers provide low-income housing for the elderly and disabled. RD works with small and emerging businesses to create and save jobs.  We also provide technical assistance to community leaders who are working on plans to improve rural communities. For more information visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs.

   In Union Point, USDA has awarded a $2,173,000 loan and $1,447,000 grant to the City through the Water and Waste Water loan and grant program.  The loan will be for 40 years with an interest rate of 2.50%.  The loan and grant funds will be used to construct a new water treatment plant adjacent to the existing plant.  The existing treatment plant has a number of structural and mechanical issues.  The City considered a number of alternatives, including renovation of the existing plant.  The City determined that building a new treatment plant was the best alternative.

   The new treatment plant will have the capacity to treat approximately 1 million gallons of water per day.  The City provides water to 685 residential, 65 commercial and 15 government/institutional customers.  In Fiscal Year 2016 Georgia RD invested $45.5 million in loans and grants to build new and improved water and waste infrastructure in rural Georgia communities.

   The City of Greensboro is being awarded a Rural Business Development Grant program to continue their multi-phase Streetscape Improvement Plan to support the economic development and strengthen small and emerging businesses.  The $99,999 USDA grant will be combined with $419,709 funds from the City of Greensboro to create safe pedestrian access, street lighting, and landscaping on West Greene Street and North West Street creating a “gateway” from Main Street Greensboro to the Mill District. In Fiscal Year 2016, Georgia Rural Development awarded twelve Rural Business Development Grants totaling $899,000, the list of awards is posted online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/ga_fy16RBDGlist.pdf

  Since 2009, nationwide, USDA Rural Development has invested $13.5 billion for 5,739 water and waste infrastructure projects, benefiting 19.1 million rural residents; invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.