Recently, the USDA has announced that Schuylkill County communities have been awarded funding through grants.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $869.3 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit 3.5 million rural residents in 43 states and Guam.
“Rural America needs safe, modern community infrastructure to help residents and businesses achieve greater prosperity and have access to essential services,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner to rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
State Director Curt Coccodrilli was pleased that more than $66 million of the investment would be dedicated to rural projects in Pennsylvania.
“During these unprecedented times our local rural communities continue to reach out to us as a means to fund their day-to-day operations and continuous improvement efforts and we at USDA Rural Development are always there to answer the call,” Coccodrilli said. “These loans and grants will provide the needed funds to purchase necessities such as patrol cars, waste removal vehicles, building repairs and a new health and science building at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology among other things.”
Over the past few weeks, the USDA has announced funding that is coming straight to Schuylkill County.
Most recently, the communities set to receive funding are:
- East Union Township -received a $40,700 loan and $7,600 grant to purchase and upfit a patrol interceptor for its law enforcement department. The new vehicle is needed because the township currently owns only two vehicles, and one of them is at the end of its useful life and is too costly to maintain. The vehicle will allow the department to provide more reliable service to the community and a safer work environment for the officers.
- Mahanoy City - the borough will use their loan of $47,500 to purchase and upfit a new patrol vehicle and dump truck. The borough's police department currently only has four vehicles and one of the vehicles is at the end of its useful life. The patrol vehicle will allow the department to provide a more reliable service. The streets department needs the new dump truck because aging vehicles in its current fleet are becoming too costly to maintain.
- Coaldale - awarded $27,400 in Community Facilities Disaster Grant funding to benefit 2,281 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase a Ford pickup truck for Coaldale Borough’s street department. This truck is needed for jobs that require a smaller truck which the Borough does not currently own.
- Mahanoy Township - awarded $30,300 in Community Facilities Disaster Grant and $49,900 in Community Facilities Loan program to benefit 3,152 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used for Mahony Township to purchase a dump truck. The dump truck is needed because the township’s current maintenance vehicles are all aging and have become costly to maintain. This dump truck will also allow the township to maintain its’ properties year-round.
- Pottsville - awarded $346,400 in Community Facilities Disaster Grant funding to benefit 14,324 residents in their community. This Rural Development investment will be used to provide additional funding for the Pottsville parking garage.