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.
Michigan has seven water and sewer projects with a total investment of $29,559,000 in loans and $6,434,000 in grants and two electric projects totaling $59,542,000 in loans:
- The Torch Lake Area Sewage Authority, in Houghton County, will use a $3 million grant to install additional lined lagoons, install a liner in the existing seepage lagoons at each site, add lagoon treatment piping and structures, and install lagoon discharge piping and outfall for seasonal discharge to local rivers. This investment is in addition to other Rural Development funding that supports the same project.
- Carp Lake Township, in Ontonagon County, will use a $713,000 loan and $1,202,000 grant to replace more than two miles of sewer collection main. Lift Station #5 will be replaced completely due to the age of its mechanical and electrical equipment.
- Sagola Township, in Dickinson County, will use a $529,000 loan and $732,000 grant to replace and upgrade the Sagola and Channing lift stations, replace 600 linear feet of sanitary sewer main and associated manholes, install security fencing and access gates, replace influent structure and valves as well as the Sagola septic tank and dosing chamber.
- The City of Buchanan, in Berrien County, will use $18,197,000 in loans for water and sewer system improvements. The project will replace the 18-inch interceptor sewer with 21-inch; separate combined sanitary and storm sewer lines, remove and replace sanitary sewer on four streets and remove and upsize a lift station force main. It also will increase wastewater treatment plant capacity, allowing the city to grow and accommodate future flows. In addition, the city will construct a new well, build a water treatment plant for iron removal, and replace and upgrade nearly three miles of water main.
- The Village of Mendon, in St. Joseph County, will use a $2,692,000 loan to construct a new well, as well as clean, paint and disinfect elevated and underground storage tanks (which will be adjusted to improve fireflow), install new, larger watermains while removing dead end loops, and install water meters.
- The City of Stanton, in Montcalm County, will use a $1,928,000 loan and $1.5 million grant to replace and enlarge areas of the collection system to improve collection and reduce operations costs, rehabilitate the Camburn Lift Station and West Lift Station, repair the berm and replace transfer piping at Pond 2, as well as replace inlet structure.
- The City of Negaunee, in Marquette County, will use a $5.5 million loan for water system improvements. The project includes replacement of 15,000 feet of water main, with hydrants, valves, service leads and restoration.
- The Thumb Electric Cooperative will use a $51,257,000 loan install 1,688 miles of fiber for their network in their service area of Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.
- The Ontonagon County R.E.A will use an $8,285,000 loan to connect 162 consumers, and build and improve 92 miles of line. This loan includes $2,091,503 in smart grid technologies. Ontonagon County REA is headquartered in Ontonagon, and has 4,886 members over 970 miles in Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties in the western portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
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.