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
CENTRAL U.P. COMMUNITIES RECEIVE $3 MILLION FROM USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT
EAST LANSING, Dec. 11, 2007 – USDA Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett today presented ceremonial checks totaling $3,792,200 to Manistique Area Schools, Tri-Star EMS and Bark River Township.
“This is a great conclusion to an exciting year for USDA Rural Development,” said DeRossett. “We are truly making a difference and helping Upper Peninsula residents improve their quality of life.”
Manistique Area Schools
received $95,200 in grants for two preschool playground equipment projects at
Emerald Elementary School. The district contributed a total $35,573.
Tri-Star EMS received a $70,000 loan and $30,000 grant from Rural Development
for a new ambulance in Rapid River.
Bark River Township received a $1,132,000 loan and a $2,465,000 grant for a new sewage collection system. The project will consist of 25,500 feet of gravity sewer, 200 feet of pressure sewer and 12,000 feet of 8-inch force main with a pumping station. Sewage will be treated at the Hannahville Indian Community Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will serve 330 rural customers.
The event is part of a series of ceremonies commemorating $4 million in grants and loans this month for communities across the Upper Peninsula. So far this year, Upper Peninsula communities have received more than $22 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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