South Carolina Received Over $360 million in Funding Which Will Provide Clean Water and Dependable Electric Power in People’s Homes and Businesses in Rural South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C., 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. “Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is committed to Building a Better America by investing in America’s rural infrastructure, expanding access to broadband, clean drinking water and resilient power infrastructure. 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.
“Clean water and dependable electricity is vital to rural South Carolina”, said Dr. Saundra Glover, state director for South Carolina Rural Development. “Projects like these help our rural communities build back better, stronger, more resilient, and more equitable. These investments reflect our commitment to help rural S.C. grow and thrive!”
For example, in South Carolina:
• In Saluda county, the Saluda County Water & Sewer Authority (SCWSA) will use a $2.9 million loan under the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program for subsequent funding for Phase 2 of the Holley Ferry - Spann Road Water Improvement Project. The project will construct an elevated water storage tank, a booster pump station and position a network of waterlines throughout the densely populated eastern side of Saluda county. This project will affect SCWSA entire system and benefit 1,758 customers. Other funds for this project consist of: Fiscal Year 2018 Rural Development Loan of $12,461,000; Fiscal Year 2018 Rural Development Grant of $2,584,000.
• In Abbeville county, the Town of Calhoun Falls will use a $350,702 Water and Waste Disposal Loan to connect the existing residential service lines to the new pipes installed in the Calhoun Falls water system upgrade project. The project includes relocating and connecting 112 existing residential service lines to the new pipes and meters. This project will improve water service, reduce repairs and improve water pressure. Blended Median Household Income of the service area is $31,131.
• New Horizon Electric Coop Inc. will use a $19.7 million loan under the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to finance upgraded transmission facilities. New Horizon is a generation and transmission electric cooperative that is headquartered in Laurens, South Carolina. The five electric membership cooperatives namely Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative and York Electric Cooperative serve over 194,090 consumers in Greenville, Newberry, Greenwood, Pickens, Chester, Cherokee, Anderson, Cleveland, Oconee, Abbeville and Polk counties.
• Berkeley Electric Coop will use a $197 million Electric Infrastructure Loan to connect 19,184 consumers, and build and improve 1,101 miles of line. This loan includes $3,012,406 in smart grid technologies. Berkeley Electric is headquartered in Moncks Corner, South Carolina and serves an average of 107,835 members over 5,982 miles in the counties of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester in the southeastern part of South Carolina.
• Blue Ridge Electric Coop will use a $140 million Electric Infrastructure Loan to connect 6,652 consumers, and build and improve 296 miles of line. This loan includes various smart grid projects in the amount of $53,761,000 including the installation of 1,262 miles of fiber to run a substation fiber ring to 11 of its 36 substations. Blue Ridge is headquartered in Pickens, South Carolina and provides service to 67,589 consumers over 7,135 miles of line in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties in the northwest portion of South Carolina.
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.
The investments announced today will support rural infrastructure projects in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
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/sc.
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