News Release

USDA PROVIDES OVER $5.9 MILLION IN GRANTS, LOANS FOR COMMUNITY & WATER PROJECTS IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA
Eleven Communities in Macon Ridge Enterprise Community to Benefit

Alexandria, LA, April 1 -- The US Department of Agriculture's Rural Development mission area will provide a total of $5,933,675 in loans and grants to eleven communities in the Macon Ridge Enterprise Community, located in northern Louisiana, USDA Rural Development Louisiana State Director Austin Cormier, USDA Office of Community Development Deputy Director Victor Vasquez and other locally-based representatives of the agency announced today in ceremonies in several communities throughout the northern part of the state. USDA Rural Development administers a number of programs designed to strengthen rural economies and expand infrastructure in rural areas.

"USDA and the Clinton Administration are committed to ensuring access to clean, safe drinking water, and reliable and efficient municipal services like police and fire protection, to rural areas of the country," Under Secretary for Rural Development Jill Long Thompson said in Washington. "Making sure that the same opportunities are available to people in rural areas that are available in urban areas is the key to ensuring the long term health and growth of these communities."

The money, provided through a variety of USDA Rural Development programs and the Clinton Administration's Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC) program, will be used to fund a variety of projects, including a municipal building in the town of Wisner, communications equipment for the St. Joseph volunteer fire department, and police equipment for the towns of Newellton and Gilbert. The funding will also go to provide new water and water treatment systems for the Village of Harrisonburg, Turkey Creek Water System, and Concordia Parish Water District.

"Projects like this are especially useful to residents of communities who may not have access to the services some people in urban areas take for granted," said Austin Cormier, Rural Development Louisiana State Director. "Rural Development is proud to help communities help themselves by providing funding for projects that we feel will have a direct effect on the lives of the people who live here."

A list of the projects to be funded follows.

• $1,815,000 Water and Waste Water-EZ/EC grant and $695,000 Water and Waste Water-EZ/EC loan to the Turkey Creek Water System to construct a new rural water distribution system, including water production wells, distribution lines and service connections. The project is expected to provide new service to approximately 400 households.
• $250,000 Water and Waste Water-EZ/EC grant and $200,000 Water and Waste Water- EZ/EC loan to the village of Harrisonburg to construct a new wastewater treatment facility which will support an existing waste water treatment oxidation pond.

$1,294,000 Water and Waste Water grant and $482,200 Water and Waste Water loan to the Concordia Parish Water District to upgrade its water system through construction of three new water wells, a water storage tank and a utility building.

• $225,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant to Macon Ridge Economic Region Inc. of Ferriday to purchase the land and building housing the Macon Ridge Enterprise Community Resource Center. The Center houses the business incubator of the Macon Ridge Enterprise Community.
• $50,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant to the Winnsboro Economic Development Foundation to establish a revolving loan fund to assist small business development and expansion in Franklin Parish.
• $16,500 Community Facilities-EZ/EC grant to the Town of Waterproof to purchase a police vehicle. Macon Ridge Community Development Corporation will also receive a $750,000 Multi-Family Housing loan to construct an 18-unit apartment complex in Waterproof and to provide rental assistance to low-income renters.
• $30,000 Community Facilities-EZ/EC grant to the Town of Wisner to renovate an existing commercial building to be used as a municipal police station and town hall.
• $6,975 Community Facilities-EZ/EC grant to the Town of St. Joseph to purchase communications equipment for the volunteer fire department in Tensas Parish.
• $14,250 Community Facilities-EZ/EC grant to be used to purchase a vehicle, a computer and a bullet proof vest for the police department in Newellton.
• $18,250 Community Facilities-EZ/EC grant to the Catahoula Fire Protection District No. 5 DBA Manifest Volunteer Fire Department for the purchase of a Class A pumper truck to provide fire protection to rural Catahoula parish.
• $40,000 Community Facility loan and $30,000 Community Facility grant to the Sandy Lake Volunteer Fire Department for the purchase of a class A pumper truck to provide fire protection to rural Catahoula parish.
• $16,500 Community Facilities grant to the Village of Gilbert for the purchase of a police car for public safety in the rural community of Gilbert.

The USDA Rural Development mission area was created in 1994 and includes the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, the Rural Housing Service and the Rural Utilities Service. Its mission is to use the resources of USDA to provide an improved quality of life for the nation's 53 million rural people.

Contacts:
Sheila Ford
(318) 473-7811