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USDA Selects Projects to Repair Rural Facilities Affected by Disasters

Name
Miguel Ramirez
Email
miguel.ramirez@usda.gov
City
San Juan
Release Date

The Municipality of Camuy was selected for a grant of $5,780,715 along with the Municipality of San Lorenzo for $241,388

 

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2024 – USDA Rural Development Deputy Secretary, 

Dr. Basil Gooden, announced today that USDA has selected 15 projects in ten states and Puerto Rico to repair or replace essential community facilities that were affected by disasters in calendar years 2022 or 2023. 

These selections will benefit disaster-affected communities in California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont and Puerto Rico.

Maximiliano J. Trujillo-Ortega, USDA Rural Development State Director for Puerto Rico, indicated that two municipalities in Puerto Rico were selected, the Municipality of Camuy and the Municipality of San Lorenzo.

  1. The Municipality of Camuy would use this disaster assistance to repair rural roads and   scarf & resurface the areas that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. They were awarded $5,780,715.
  2. The Municipality of San Lorenzo would use this disaster assistance to repair its Emergency Management Center, which suffered significant damage caused by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. The funds will replace the roof and repair structural damage and serious leakage issues; In this way, the municipality can meet the needs of citizens during emergencies. They were awarded $241,388.

These grants are in addition to the following municipalities that also received disaster funds during the summer of 2024:

  1. The Municipality of Adjuntas – Received $362,890.00 to replace equipment and vehicles that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. 
  2. The Municipality of Lajas – Received $1,443,750.00 to replace equipment and vehicles that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. 
  3. The Municipality of Sabana Grande - Received $1,379,084.00 to replace equipment and vehicles that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022.
  4. Plenitud Iniciativas Eco-Educativas Inc. in Puerto Rico It received $128,600.00 to repair the roof of its office and welcome center, repair electrical system, and replace equipment and vehicles that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. 

Trujillo-Ortega indicated that the selected entities and municipalities have up to 3 years to use the funds.

USDA's selections through the Community Facilities Disaster Grant Program will help public agencies, federally recognized tribes, and community-based nonprofits rebuild after the 2022 and 2023 disasters.

"The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA stand ready to deploy all the resources we have available to help families and individuals rebuild their lives and communities after disasters," said Deputy Secretary Gooden. "The selections I'm announcing today will help America's small rural towns and remote communities become more resilient in the face of increasingly severe weather, wildfires, and other risks." 

Congress updated the funding and authority for the Disaster Grant Program in March 2024. Since then, USDA Rural Development has moved quickly to administer the funds to the communities and individuals who need it most.

 

Today's selections total up to $36 million under the Community Facilities Disaster Grant Program. This money will be used to repair or replace affected essential community facilities, replace damaged equipment or vehicles, and purchase new equipment to make much-needed repairs.

Background

The Community Facilities Program received supplemental disaster funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

Additional resources to support rural communities seeking disaster assistance are available in https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/rural-development-disaster-assistance.  

 

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunity, 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 access to high-speed Internet in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Portal to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov.

 

To subscribe to updates from USDA Rural Development, visit  the GovDelivery subscriber page.  You can follow us on our X @RD_PuertoRico account.   

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