Senator Roland Burris Announces Recovery Act Funding for Water System Improvement Projects in Illinois Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 18, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — United States Senator Roland W. Burris today announced that American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Department of Agriculture are being allocated to Illinois rural communities for water system projects to enhance water quality and improve sanitation services. These projects will provide construction jobs and improve water systems infrastructure in rural areas.
The funds are being directed as follows:
– City of Roodhouse: $5,470,000 loan; the funding will be used for water system improvements.
– Fayette Water Company (Laclede, IL): $1,000,000 loan and $941,500 grant; the funding will be used for water system improvements.
– Fayette Water Company (Herrick, IL): $1,125,000 loan and $1,124,000 grant; the funding will be used for water system improvements.
– City of Lawrenceville: $6,040,000 loan; the funding will be used for water system improvements.
Senator Burris and the Democratic-led Congress passed the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that was signed into law by President Obama in February of last year.
“It is vital that we invest in water system projects and improvements in order protect the environment, provide safe drinking water to communities and modernize our infrastructure,” said Senator Burris. “With these awards, not only do we improve water services and sanitation in rural areas, we spark the creation of construction jobs that are desperately needed during these tough economic times.”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the funding of projects in 20 states designed to protect public health by improving water quality and public sanitation services. The loan and grant funding supports 60 projects and totals $159 million. To date, USDA has announced $2.3 billion in Recovery Act funds for water and environmental projects.
The funding announced today is being administered by the USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program which provides loans and grants to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas.
USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program
http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/index.htm
