LOUISIANA, Dec. 16, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $5.2 billion to build and improve critical rural infrastructure in 46 states and Puerto Rico. The investments reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to Building a Better America by investing in rural communities and will help expand access to high-speed internet, clean water and reliable electricity in people’s homes and businesses across rural America.
“When we invest in rural infrastructure, we invest in the livelihoods and health of people in rural America,” Vilsack said. The investments we are announcing today will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come.”
This announcement follows the recent passage of President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and reflects the many ways USDA Rural Development’s programs are helping people, businesses and communities address critical infrastructure needs to help rural America build back better.
Here in Louisiana, the following projects received:
• Nebo Water System Inc. will use $260,000 under Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to provide additional funding to a previously funded project to modernize the town of Jena's existing water system. Nebo Water System, a nonprofit organization, will replace booster pumps, inefficient water mains, and construct a 250 gallons per minute water well, aerator, service lines and two ground storage tanks. A chemical feed to reduce corrosion, supervisory control and data acquisition system will be added. In addition, an accessible to persons with disabilities building, office space, meeting room, and repair area to house pumps will be constructed. The system's 370 customers will have access to better quality potable water in the southern portion of LaSalle Parish.
• Town of Delhi will use $1,370,000 under Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to alleviate the repetitive flood problems caused by excessive storm water runoff in an area of downtown Delhi which is economically growing. Existing water facilities are outdated. This project will include the installation of catch basins and drainage pipes, cleaning and reshaping of ditches, and replacement of water mains. Roads will be repaved to ensure drainage to catch basins. Decreasing the potential flood percentage will be a positive town achievement and help the persistent poverty area build back better and remove safety concerns.
• Star Telephone Company Inc. will use $1,533,621 under Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees to construct an approximately 22-mile Fiber-to-the Premises system to benefit 434 residents and 8 businesses in the West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana service area. Subscribers will have access to service up to 1 Gbps, expanding access to economic, educational, health care, and public safety opportunities. A Community Center will be provided in an existing building where residents can access the Internet free of charge for at least two years.
• East Texas Electric Cooperative Inc will use $100,893,000 under Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, to finance transmission and generation system additions and improvements. East Texas Electric Cooperative Inc. is a generation and transmission (G&T) electric cooperative headquartered in Nacogdoches, Texas serving eight member-owned electric cooperatives providing retail electric service to 345,000 meters in 46 counties in East Texas.
Background
Vilsack highlighted 359 investments that USDA is making in seven programs designed to help people in rural areas access high-speed internet, clean water and dependable electric power. These programs include Community Connect Grants, Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees, Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees, Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants and Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants.
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. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and 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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