$183 Million for 60 Water/Wastewater Infrastructure Projects Announced by USDA on April 19, 2016; Two Projects in Virginia

On April 19, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $183 million in grants and loans for 60 water and wastewater infrastructure projects in 33 states, including two projects in Virginia.  The funds come through USDA/Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program (WEP), which provides technical assistance and financing to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems for communities with fewer than 10,000 residents.  (More information on WEP is available online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/water-environmental-programs.)

The Virginia localities receiving funding (contingent upon meeting the terms of the grant/loan) are the following:
1) Lancaster County town of White Stone, $1.958 million grant and $807,000 loan, towards construction of a wastewater-collection system and treatment plant; and
2) Patrick County town of Stuart, $593,000 grant and $863,000 loan, towards improving the town’s wastewater-treatment plant.

The full list of projects announced on April 19 is available (as a PDF) online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RDEarthDay2016Projects.pdf.

Source: Ahead of Earth Day, USDA Announces Clean Water and Environmental Projects for 60 Rural Communities, U.S. Department of Agriculture News Release, 4/19/16.

For a local news account of one of the funded Virginia projects, in the Lancaster County community of White Stone, see USDA Rural Development announces $4 million White Stone wastewater project, Rappahannock Record, 5/4/16.