Diverse investments will assist five Rural Utah Communities
Today, in honor of Earth Day 2021, Utah Acting State Director Debra Meyer announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is investing $2,003,942 in critical infrastructure to help rural Utah communities build back better and stronger while prioritizing climate-smart solutions and environmental stewardship. Rural Development is making investments in Utah under the Water and Environmental Program and the Rural Energy for America Program.
The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) in Cedar City is receiving a $560,000 loan and $150,000 grant to upgrade its water system. The district will utilize the funding to drill an additional well and install a wellhouse. This project will improve the quality of drinking water for this rural community of 112 people.
Milford City is continuing to upgrade its water system with an additional $783,000 loan and $457,000 grant from USDA. In 2019, Rural Development provided $6.2 million in funding. Once complete, this $7.4 million project will provide a new 500,000-gallon storage tank, a new well, and will replace cast iron distribution pipes. A new water line will also be installed to provide sufficient water pressure for fire protection efforts at the city’s airport.
USDA is also investing $53,942 in rural Utah for infrastructure that embraces renewable energy and supports America’s path to energy independence. The projects awarded include:
- Christensen Family Farm in Fillmore will use a $13,942 grant to install a 25.35-kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will replace 96 percent of the farm’s energy use with renewable energy and reduce its annual utility bill by $2,954.
- J&R Used Cars in Hyde Park will use a $20,000 grant to install a 42-kW solar array. The project will help this rural business save $6,819 annually on its utility bill and replace 98 percent of its energy use.
- AgSciTech, a research-oriented company specialized in manufacturing biological-organic agriculture products in Lewiston will use a $20,000 grant to install a 25.84-kW solar array. The project will replace 100 percent of the rural business’s energy usage with renewable electricity.
Nationwide, USDA is investing $487 million in critical infrastructure that will help communities in 45 states under the Water and Environmental Programs, the Rural Energy for America Program, the Electric Loan Program, and the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The funding is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of the grant agreements.
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.usdagov/ut.
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, 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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