BISMARCK, N.D., Jan. 26, 2022 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director for North Dakota Mark Wax today announced that USDA is investing over $27 million to build and improve critical community facilities in North Dakota. This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural communities.
“Rural infrastructure improvements are paramount to the strength of a rural community,” said Wax. “Those vital services allow community members to enjoy many of the same amenities that urban areas enjoy, with a lot more open space around them. We want to ensure they all have access to quality services, such as schools, hospitals and libraries to name a few.”
Wax highlighted six North Dakota investments that USDA is making that will fund essential community services to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before. Some examples of the programs include Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants, Community Facilities Loan Guarantees, Community Facilities Technical Assistance Training Grants, Community Facilities Disaster Grants, and Economic Impact Initiative Grants. The projects will finance emergency response vehicles and equipment; build or improve hospitals and clinics and help fund other essential community facilities
For example:
- In Alabama, Medical West Hospital Authority will use a $360 million Community Facilities Direct Loan to build a state-of-the-art, 200-bed hospital. This hospital will feature a 26-room emergency department, 12 operating rooms, eight labor and delivery rooms, and eight multi-purpose rooms. This 405,186- square-foot facility will be strategically located to serve rural west Jefferson County, rural west Tuscaloosa County and other surrounding rural communities. This project will benefit approximately 333,000 rural people in these communities.
- In Iowa, the city of Sabula is receiving a $225,000 Community Facilities Disaster Grant to purchase a fire tanker/pumper truck. The city's current pumper truck is nearly 20 years old, beyond its useful life and has expired equipment. This project will help the city purchase a new truck and new equipment to improve fire protection services for the city's 576 residents.
- In Michigan, Munising Memorial Hospital will use a $63,000 Economic Impact Initiative Grant to purchase a mobile x-ray room. The medical equipment will include a computer interface and processing software, as well as the automatic transfer of patient information and reports. This equipment will benefit more than 9,600 rural people.
In North Dakota:
- The Anne Carlsen Center is receiving a $27,020,210 investment to construct an approximately 110,000 square foot facility. The new facility will provide modern, flexible, and technology enhanced spaces to allow the center to provide its unique care model for its residents/students. It will support 34 individuals (24 will be individuals with medically complex needs and 10 will be individuals with intellectual, developmental, and behavioral challenges). The new facility will provide vastly improved staff and support spaces which will improve the training, workflow, and ability for focused and uninterrupted work for the over 350 staff members employed at the facility. The new facility will incorporate six major departments that each serve a different and unique need. The six departments include residential, education, therapy, aquatic therapy, administration, and support.
- The City of Oakes will use a $16,100 investment to finance two new rotating sirens with battery backup. The city currently has four stationary sirens that are over 35 years old plus one rotating siren. The four stationary sirens are unable to function during power outages. If there were to be a power outage, 4 out of 5 sirens currently in use would be unable to operate. This would leave a large portion of the city without emergency notification.
- The Elgin-New Leipzig School District is receiving two investments, totaling $237,000, that will be used to replace multiple unit ventilators and remove asbestos tiles from the gymnasium. Replacing the ventilators in the high school will help to improve the indoor air quality of the building. Improved air quality should also decrease the likelihood of viruses being spread in the school building. The high school gymnasium floor is asbestos tile and is original to the building. The plan is to abate the high school gymnasium, removing the asbestos. Then the floor will be replaced with a type of flooring that would improve the safety and health of the building.
- The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians are receiving a $75,700 investment to purchase and install solar panels and replacement of the existing propane tank at the Byron Dorgan Youth Wellness Center. The proposed improvements will reduce the financial burden of energy costs in operating the facility by increasing the centers’ ability to purchase and store propane used for heating in bulk quantities and additionally take advantage of solar energy through the purchase and use of solar panels to help power the facility. The center serves the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians by providing many amenities that facilitate the improved health and wellness of Tribal youth and current members.
- The City of Cooperstown will use a $27,300 investment to purchase a utility tractor with mowing attachment and smaller zero turn mower for the city of Cooperstown, North Dakota. This utility tractor with mower attachment and zero turn mower will be used for general city maintenance along with being used to mow any ditches, right of ways, and residential lots within the city.
Background:
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. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program.
Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.
Under the current 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 http://www.rd.usda.gov/nd. 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. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to 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.