USDA Announces Investments in Rural Community Facilities That Will Benefit More Than 761,000 Americans
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2018 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $291 million to build or improve community infrastructure and essential services for 761,000 residents in 18 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
“Modern community facilities and infrastructure are key drivers of rural prosperity,” Hazlett said. “As partners to municipal, tribal and nonprofit leaders, we are investing in rural communities to ensure quality of life and economic opportunity now and for generations to come.”
USDA is investing in 41 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funding helps rural small towns, cities and communities make infrastructure improvements and provide essential facilities such as schools, libraries, courthouses, public safety facilities, hospitals, colleges and day care centers. For example:
In Pennsylvania, six projects have been funded through this program:
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Westmoreland Homesteads Volunteer Fire Department is receiving a loan in the amount of $1,082,500 to help construct a fire station. The current station is more than 80 years old, has drainage problems and is too costly to renovate. This project will benefit Mount Pleasant Township's 11,153 residents.
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North Coventry Township will use a $524,440 loan to provide additional financing to help construct a public works building and salt shed on a 22-acre parcel owned by the Township. The project will benefit the township's 7,866 residents.
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SRUF Student Housing, LLC is receiving a $3,000,000 loan to implement an energy savings project for six student housing dormitories at Slippery Rock University.
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Lower Turkeyfoot Township will use a loan in the amount of $50,000 to construct an equipment maintenance facility and garage. The current building is no longer up to code and is unsafe. This project will benefit the 672 residents in the rural area of Lower Turkeyfoot Township.
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Blair County Airport Authority is receiving a $1,957,570 loan to construct two airplane hangars and refinance debt. The current hangars at the airport in Kane Borough are occupied or in need of replacement. This project will benefit 2,644 people.
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Keystone College will use a $9,800,000 loan to provide permanent financing to restructure debt to strengthen the college's financial position. Keystone College has been in operation for 150 years and is a major employer in this rural part of Lackawanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania. This investment will benefit the college's 1,523 students.
The projects announced today will help improve the quality of life in rural areas in Alaska, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities program funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally and state-recognized Native American tribes. Applicants and projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. Loan amounts have ranged from $10,000 to $165 million.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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 services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.