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USDA Invests $7.98 million to Improve Community Infrastructure for People Living in Rural Towns Across Virginia

Name
Adam Cyr
Phone
City
Richmond
Release Date

Investment Will Improve Access to Health Care, Education and Public Safety for Virginia Rural Communities

BESSEMER, Ala., Jan. 26, 2022 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh today announced that USDA is investing $1 billion to build and improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam. This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural communities. As part of this nationwide announcement, 34 projects will receive $7,984,300 in grants and loans to help rural Virginia communities.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has made investing in infrastructure improvements a top priority,” Bronaugh said. “These loans and grants will help rural communities invest in facilities and services that are vital to all communities, such as health care facilities, schools, libraries, and first responder vehicles and equipment. When we invest in essential services in rural America, we build opportunity and prosperity for the people who call rural communities’ home.”

USDA Rural Development Acting Virginia State Director Terry Rosta said, “the announcement of 34 projects strengthens the partnership USDA Rural Development-Virginia shares with the communities we serve. Investments in critical areas such as infrastructure, improved access to healthcare services, public transportation and safety, and expansion of services, are just a few ways USDA can support economic development in Virginia’s rural communities.”

Virginia communities will benefit from a total of $7,984,300 for 34 projects (see chart for list of remaining projects). Examples include:

  • The Town of Crew is receiving a $67,500 Community Facilities Direct Loan and a $82,500 Community Facility Disaster Grant. These funds will be used to purchase three generators. These generators will be located at the town hall/police station, public works department, and community center. Currently, the applicant does not have emergency generators. These generators will allow the town and law enforcement
  • Buckingham County Public Library will use $55,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase computers, monitors, laptops, software, charging stations, security gates and a battery backup. Two of the computers will replace equipment that has become obsolete. The remaining computers and related equipment will be used to expand the services provided by the library.
  • The Tappahannock Essex Volunteer Fire Department will receive $431,000 Community Facilities Loan and $299,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a 2021 fire truck. The new fire truck will replace a 25-year-old truck, which parts cannot be replaced because the manufacturer has gone out of business.
  • Lee County will use $92,500 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a ten-thousand-gallon jet fuel tank for the airport. The project will assist in providing access to better health care facilities, improve transportation infrastructure and economic opportunities for the county residents.
  • Northwestern Community Services in Winchester will receive $1,840,000 Community Facilities Direct Loan to purchase an office building. The facility will be located at 170 Prosperity Drive, Winchester, Virginia. This project will result in the merger of three offices, currently being leased, into the new facility. The existing facility is in poor condition, has insufficient parking, and allows no room for expansion. The operations that will be relocated will include the mental health clinic, substance use disorder clinic, and child psychology.
  • Bay Aging will use a $1,030,000 Community Facilities Direct Loan to purchase and renovate a building. The improvements to the building will include a diesel powered generator, security voice data equipment and minor interior renovations. This building will be used for community service programs and a new adult lifestyle center located at 112 Peach Grove in Montross, Virginia. This project will be serving the elderly and disabled population of a regional area with meals on wheels and other programs for seniors.
  • Northampton County will receive $358,000 Community Facilities Direct Loan and $192,000 Community Facilities Disaster Grant to purchase three new patrol vehicles with related equipment, one new EMS vehicle, four public works vehicles and various equipment for solid waste services. The county has evaluated their equipment for each of the departments and identified that all the equipment has reached the end of its useful life, is no longer safe to operate, and has costly repairs.
  • The Whitewood Volunteer Fire Department will receive a $250,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a properly equipped pumper truck. This truck will have greater pump capacity and more storage compartments for rescue equipment. The fire department currently has one 1996 International pumper truck that is no longer considered safe or reliable and will need to replaced for the department to keep their certification up to date.

Remaining Projects:

Recipient

Program Type

Loan

Grant

Northwestern Community Services

Community Facilities Direct Loan

$225,000

 

Children’s Advocacy Programs of the Blue Ridge, Incorporated

Community Facilities Direct Loan

$12,500

 

Town of Marion

Community Facilities Direct Loan

$76,900

 

Town of Blackstone

Community Facilities Direct Loan

$20,300

 

Town of Pennington Gap

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant

$21,400

$64,200

Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant

$325,000

$76,300

Town of Burkeville

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant

$24,300

$29,700

Wise County Public Service Authority

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant

$76,500

$93,500

Wise County Public Service Authority

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant

$76,500

$93,500

Town of Tappahannock

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$28,700

Town of Tappahannock

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$66,500

Town of Crewe

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$83,200

Town of Blackstone

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$200,000

Harvest Outreach Center

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$200,000

Town of Blackstone

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$300,000

Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$98,700

Nottoway County Emergency Squad, Inc.

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$93,500

Town of Blackstone

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$24,700

Russell County Public Service Authority

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$151,200

Children’s Advocacy Programs of the Blue Ridge, Incorporated

Community Facilities Disaster Grant

 

$27,500

Russell Prater Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated

Community Facilities Grant

 

$95,600

Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Incorporated

Community Facilities Grant

 

$25,300

Town of Marion

Economic Impact Initiative Grant

 

$100,000

*Contact Adam Cyr at adam.cyr@usda.gov for specific project descriptions*

Bronaugh highlighted 737 projects that USDA is making in five programs that will fund essential community services to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before. These programs include Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants, Community Facilities Loan Guarantees, Community Facilities Technical Assistance Training Grants, Community Facilities Disaster Grants, and Economic Impact Initiative Grants. The projects will finance emergency response vehicles and equipment; build or improve hospitals and clinics and help fund other essential community facilities. Bronaugh underscored the critical role that Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, had in fighting for additional funding for the Community Facilities Direct Loans, which made many of these investments in critical rural infrastructure possible.

Background:

More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program.

Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.

The awards being announced today are being made in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam.

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, ensuring access to 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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