JACKSON, Dec. 10, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and State Director Dr. Trina N. George today announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create good-paying jobs, with $5.5 million in funding for Mississippi.
“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” Secretary Vilsack said. “These investments will build modern infrastructure that will attract employers to the nation’s smallest towns and most remote communities, creating jobs, vibrant Main Streets, and lasting economic growth for the people who live there.”
“We’re thrilled to announce this latest round of funding to help rural communities repair vital infrastructure,” said State Director for Rural Development in Mississippi Dr. Trina N. George. “These investments will ensure that these recipients will have access to safe and reliable water and wastewater services, improving both health outcomes and quality of life for years to come.”
More than 200 projects are being financed to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure in rural places, growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up.
Delivering Clean, Reliable Energy
USDA is providing $5.7 billion in funding through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to help utility providers and electric cooperatives build and improve electric infrastructure and smart-grid technologies in 23 states.
These projects will help ensure everyone in rural America has access to reliable electricity to increase economic opportunity and improve quality of life. In Mississippi for example:
- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Virginia received $293 million to build and improve 880 miles of line, connecting more than 11,000 consumers. Nearly $160 million of this funding will be used for smart grid technologies.
- Carroll Electric Cooperative Corporation in Arkansas received $432 million to build and improve nearly 900 miles of line, connecting more than 10,000 consumers. Nearly $11 million in funding will be used for smart grid technologies.
Funding benefit Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Strengthening Rural Water Infrastructure
USDA is also investing nearly $642 million today to expand access to clean and reliable drinking water, sanitary waste disposal and storm water drainage for people in 41 states.
The Department is making the investments through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program and the Solid Waste Management Grants program.
The agency is helping state and local governments, private nonprofits and federally recognized Tribes build or improve rural wastewater systems. In Mississippi for example:
- Thrasher Water Association received $4,621,000 to build a water treatment plant, water storage tank, and replace 57,000 feet of distribution lines.
- Multi-Mart Water Association Inc. received $750,000 to replace two miles of existing distribution lines with larger water lines that can handle the water demands of existing and future population growth. The project will also provide for a looped connection for the northwest corner of the water system and includes the installation of four fire hydrants and a 175-kilowatt (kW) generator.
- University of Southern Mississippi received $139,000 to help empower rural communities by implementing plastic waste management trainings for Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana farmers.
Funding under both programs will also help people living in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virgina and Wisconsin.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA 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 healthcare; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under 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.
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