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
IRON RIVER, MASTODON TOWNSHIP RECEIVE $776,000 FROM USDA
EAST LANSING, Aug. 16, 2007 – USDA Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett today presented $776,000 in ceremonial checks to the City of Iron River and Mastodon Township.
“These projects will enhance community services, water quality and fire protection,” DeRossett said. “USDA Rural Development is pleased to help improve the quality of life for Iron River and Mastodon Township residents.”
The Township of Mastodon will receive a $276,000 loan for the construction of a new township hall that will also host the fire department.
Iron River will receive a $500,000 loan to correction violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act by replacing deteriorated and undersized 70-year-old cast iron water mains. The project will eliminate inadequate flow, low water pressure and frequent line breaks for 1,704 rural customers.
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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