Funding will Benefit 997 Rural Montanans in Wheatland County
The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $1.3 million to modernize critical wastewater infrastructure in Harlowton.
“Rural communities depend on safe water and wastewater systems to operate and survive,” Montana State Director Charles Robison said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural Montana thrives, all of Montana thrives.”
The $750,000 loan and $596,750 grant will be used to finance improvements to the City of Harlowton’s current wastewater system which will include an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system and building, non-potable water system and wet well, sludge removal and disposal, and a telemetry system for the lift station, blower building and UV building.
“Reducing the chlorine output from our lagoon system will be a benefit to not only the citizens of Harlowton but also our neighbors downstream on the Musselshell River. By updating the equipment at the lagoon we will not only be meeting stringent DEQ requirements for effluent, but upgrading the equipment to better serve the residents of Harlowton for years to come,” Harlowton Mayor Paul Otten said. “We are appreciative of the funding from USDA, which as part of the total funding package, has made this project possible.”
Partnerships make projects possible in rural communities. This project also received $301,211 from the Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) and $125,000 from the Montana DNRC Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL). In 2018, USDA also partnered with TSEP and RRGL to provide a $57,000 planning grant for the development of this project.
Background:
USDA is funding 161 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. These investments will benefit 470,000 residents.
The investments that USDA announced today are being made in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact the Montana USDA Rural Development state office.
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/mt.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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