NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development

1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE  19904

Phone: (302) 857-3580 • Fax: (302) 857-3640 • TDD: (302) 857-3585 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

Contact:

Kathy Beisner (302) 857-3582

RECOVERY ACT SAVES JOBS IN SUSSEX COUNTY

            Selbyville, Del., Oct. 23, 2009 – USDA Rural Development State Director Jack Tarburton today highlighted nearly $11 million in Sussex County wastewater system projects that are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) and the impact the funding is having on local construction jobs.

            “The Recovery Act is about helping companies like Bunting and Murray.  Helping to keep people in jobs and getting our economy growing again,” said Tarburton.  “There are 17 full-time construction jobs on the Johnson’s Corner wastewater system project.  In addition to stimulating our economy, the funding is also protecting our environment and providing much-needed infrastructure improvements for the residents for years to come.” 

U.S. Senator Tom Carper (Del.), Tarburton, and state and local officials gathered at a farm near Selbyville where construction material was stockpiled.  “This is what we had in mind when the Recovery Act was signed into law,” said Senator Carper.  “Helping business owners like Jay Murray, creating jobs and getting our men and women working again, building an economy that will remain strong while at the same time making improvements to our aging infrastructure.”

Jay C. Murray, President of Bunting and Murray Construction said, “Work at Johnson’s Corner started in April; since that time we have had 17 men on the site 40-hours a week in addition to subcontractors in the paving, trucking and electrical fields.  I am confident that without this work, approximately 20 men would have been unemployed.”

The $10.4 million construction project will ultimately eliminate on-site septic tanks that are failing.  Poor soil conditions, in the Johnson’s Corner area, and a high groundwater table does not allow for the replacement of septic tanks. The project is being funded by the State - $5.1 million, USDA Rural Development - $3.6 million, private contribution - $1.2 million, and the County - $500,670.

Sussex County Administrator David B. Baker praised the USDA and other federal officials for their continued support of Sussex County’s more-than-30-year effort to replace aging, failing septic systems with modern, centralized wastewater service. In the past 29 years, Sussex County has received, including the funding announced Friday, more than $125 million in USDA low-interest loans and grants for such projects.

This latest shot of federal ‘stimulus’ money, through USDA Rural Development, will pump $10.6 million into Sussex County for the Johnson’s Corner, Woodlands of Millsboro and pump station No. 30 projects. Those dollars will help bring down the overall costs for users of the systems, while infusing money into the local economy during each project’s construction.

Already this year, Sussex County has received $14.6 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for sewer-related projects. With the announcement Friday, the total amount of ‘stimulus’ funding for Sussex County sewer projects comes to $25.2 million.

“This funding is essential to the County expanding central wastewater service that helps clean up the Inland Bays and further protect our environment,” Mr. Baker said. “Without the support of the federal government, Senator Carper and the rest of the Congressional delegation, projects such as these that protect residents’ health, improve our environment and create jobs would be difficult, if not impossible, to realize. On behalf of the users in these sewer districts, we thank the USDA and our federal representatives for their ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life in Sussex County.”

 Tarburton also highlighted $656,000 to Sussex County for the Woodlands of Millsboro wastewater system project and $6.4 million for upgrading pump station No. 30 that currently serves Fenwick Island, Bay View Estates and Sea Country Estates.  In the future it will also serve Johnson’s Corner and West Fenwick.

            USDA Rural Development’s mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. In fiscal year 2009, the agency provided more than $105 million to rural Delaware and approximately 52 percent of that funding was a result of the Recovery Act. USDA Rural Development funds more than 40 programs that support agriculture, business opportunities, home ownership, home repair, rental housing, broadband technology, public safety, health care, education, community facilities such as libraries, schools and day care centers, and energy-related projects.  Additional information on rural programs is available by calling the local office in Georgetown at (302) 856-3990 ext. 5 or by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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