WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create good-paying jobs. Vermont and New Hampshire projects received $17,897,000.
“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” Secretary Vilsack said. “These investments will build modern infrastructure that will attract employers to the nation’s smallest towns and most remote communities, creating jobs, vibrant Main Streets, and lasting economic growth for the people who live there.”
More than 200 projects are being financed to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure in rural places, growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up.
USDA is providing $5.7 billion in funding through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (EIL) to help utility providers and electric cooperatives build and improve electric infrastructure and smart-grid technologies in 23 states. These projects will help ensure everyone in rural America has access to reliable electricity to increase economic opportunity and improve quality of life. The Washington Electric Co-Op, which serves roughly 12,000 customers in north-central Vermont, secured a $11,195,000 EIL to connect 341 new consumers. 26 of the 1,300-miles of line will be built out or improved, and the loan includes $1,279,600 in smart grid technologies.
USDA is also investing nearly $642 million to expand access to clean and reliable drinking water, sanitary waste disposal and storm water drainage for rural residents. The Department is making the investments through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants (WWDLG) program and the Solid Waste Management Grants program. The Bunker Lane Condominium Association in Madbury, NH, received a $458,000 WWDLG loan and $1,374,000 grant to replace on outdated water system by installing new lines and rebuilding the affected roads.
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–USDA Rural Development – VT/NH
