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Trump Administration Invests over $600,000 in Community Facilities Programs in Rural Pennsylvania

Name
Amber Albright
Email
Amber.Albright@usda.gov
Phone
717-237-2295
City
Harrisburg
Release Date

Trump Administration Invests over $600,000 in Community Facilities Programs in Rural Pennsylvania

Investments to serve 144,222 rural Pennsylvanians to help increase the competitiveness of rural communities

Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 14, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $609,900 to help increase the competitiveness of rural communities in attracting and retaining businesses that provide employment and services for their residents.

“Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, I am honored to announce these investments in rural Pennsylvania. Missions like this are critical to the goals of President Trump as set forth in his Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. The CF program will help essential rural community facilities to provide necessary services. These types of projects improve rural communities and are exactly the type of local investment Rural Development was designed to help with,” said Trump Appointee Curt Coccodrilli, Pa. State Director for USDA Rural Development.

Background:

USDA Pennsylvania is funding 4 projects with total investments of $609,900 and will help serve rural Pennsylvanians through the Community Facilities Programs. The investment funding may be used to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and serve economic depression. For example:

  • Mother Pauline Visintainer Religious Foundation from Northumberland County; Pa. was awarded $55,000 in Community Facilities Grant funding to benefit 2,942 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used for the repaving of the parking lot located behind the Mother Pauline Center and to replace the retaining wall and sidewalk that runs in front of the center. The existing parking lot is in poor condition and has not been repaved since the facility opened in 2003.  The retaining wall and the sidewalk located on Chestnut Street is also in poor condition and the retaining wall is collapsing in areas near the sidewalk and may pose a potential safety hazard. 
  • East Brady Borough from Clarion County; Pa. was awarded $38,900 in Community Facilities Grant funding to benefit 942 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase an International C Dump Truck with a hydraulic system, snowplow, and spreader.  The borough currently owns a 2009 dump truck with high mileage and the bed is in need of replacement.  The new dump truck will be used for hauling materials, such as limestone and asphalt, for road repair, and will also be up fitted with a salt spreader and snowplow to clear the roads in the winter months.
  • Blair County Airport Authority from Blair County; Pa. was awarded $316,000 in Community Facilities Loan funding to benefit 127,089 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used to construct three facilities which will provide 19 T-Hangars for the Blair County Airport Authority.  Additional funds were added due to higher construction costs than originally estimated, the project was originally funded in FY 2018.  The current hangars at the airport are all occupied or in need of replacement.
  • Avondale Fire Company No. 1 from Chester County; Pa. was awarded $200,000 in Community Facilities Loan funding to benefit 13,249 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase a Seagrave Pumper Engine and equipment. The applicant's current apparatus being replaced is 27 years old and does not meet current National Fire Protection Association 1901 specifications.  The unit has exceeded its original expectation of 20 years of service life.  There is an increased demand on services and due to age and condition of the existing apparatus, it will not be able to meet this demand.

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.

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

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs 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 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.

To schedule an interview with State Director Curt Coccodrilli, please contact Amber Albright at 717-237-2295 or Amber.Albright@usda.gov.

 

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