NEWS
RELEASE
United States Department
of Agriculture • Rural Development
3001 Coolidge Rd. • 2nd Floor North • Suite 200 • East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: (517) 324-5204 • Fax: (517) 324-5225 •
alec.lloyd@mi.usda.gov
Contact: Alec Lloyd (517) 324-5204
PORTAGE RECEIVES $700,000 FOR CLEAN WATER
EAST LANSING, Aug. 16, 2007 – USDA Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett today presented a $700,000 ceremonial loan check to the Charter Township of Portage to improve water quality.
“This loan will help make needed improvements in water quality for Portage Township residents,” DeRossett said. “It is a solid investment in the community.”
The event is part of a series of ceremonies commemorating more than $2 million in grants and loans this month for communities across the Upper Peninsula. So far this year, Upper Peninsula communities have received more than $16 million in grants and loans from USDA Rural Development.
USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. Rural Development has invested more than $76.8 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. As a result, more than 1.5 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
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