USDA announces $73.9 million investment in rural Michigan infrastructure

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced a $73.9 million investment in rural Michigan infrastructure on Tuesday.

The loans and grants that make up the investment in Tuesday’s announcement are focusses on communities in central and southern Michigan.

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USDA Rural Development State Director for Michigan, Brandon Fewins, made the announcement stating that a total of $66,892,000 in loans and $7,080,000 in grants are included.

“We are continuing to build rural Michigan back better with this historic level of infrastructure investment,” said Fewins. “From providing clean water and protecting the environment to enhancing public safety, USDA Rural Development is always ready to build new partnerships with our communities.”

A $159,000 loan and $171,000 grant will be used by Saginaw County to assist the Village of Oakley to improve the sewer treatment system.

A $1.5 million loan in Ionia County will be used by The Lakewood Wastewater Authority to complete Phase 2 of wastewater collection and treatment system upgrades which will reroute the sewer main and upgrade the wastewater treatment facility. Ionia County will also use an additional $400,000 loan and $325,000 grant to make improvements to their water system.

Other investments according to the press release from the USDA Rural Development include:

• Huron County, will use a $2.1 million loan to make improvements to the wastewater collection and treatment system.
• The Village of Pierson, in Montcalm County, will use a $304,000 loan and $909,000 grant to make sewer system improvements.
• The City of Harrison, in Clare County, will use a $1,504,000 loan and $4,494,000 grant to improve its wastewater collection and treatment system.
• The City of Albion, in Calhoun County, will use a $16,854,000 Water and Waste Disposal Loan to improve to their wastewater collection and treatment system by upgrading the existing treatment facility mechanics that are beyond their useful lifespan.
• Isabella County will use a $41,500,000 Community Facilities Direct Loan to construct a public safety and correctional facility to replace an undersized one that was originally built in 1959.
• The City of Parchment, in Kalamazoo County, will use a $2,571,000 Water and Waste Disposal loan and a $1,179,000 grant to improve its wastewater collection system.

If you want to learn more on the investment in rural Michigan infrastructure, you can visit the USDA website.

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