U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Acting State Director in Nebraska Kim Martini today announced that USDA is investing $650,000 to equip, rebuild and modernize essential services in rural areas throughout Nebraska. The investments will benefit more than 300 rural residents.
USDA is committed to assisting rural communities with improving infrastructure for essential services, Martini said. The investment being announced today will help to make that community safer for local residents and pedestrians with disabilities. These improvements help rural communities improve their prosperity for years to come.�
The investment made in Nebraska is funded through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program that helps residents in rural areas build or improve essential community infrastructure and purchase or replace equipment needed for essential community services. For example:
- The village of Unadilla is receiving a $650,000 loan to repair several blocks of streets where the asphalt streets are in poor condition and longer provide a safe, functional surface for traffic. All deteriorated pavement will be repaired, new curb ramps will be added to amplify safe conditions for pedestrians with disabilities. The new streets will serve as the primary access routes to Highway 2, the Christian Church of Unadilla, local access routes and access routes to downtown Unadilla.
Todays investment is in coordination with USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson�s recent announcement that USDA is investing $185 million to equip, rebuild and modernize essential services in rural areas of 32 states, benefitting 3 million rural residents: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
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.