CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — $17,379,983 in federal grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program will go to seven projects across West Virginia.
According to releases from Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin, this funding will be used for projects ranging from renovations, upgrades, construction and purchases.
“I’m glad to see this funding headed to West Virginia through USDA’s Rural Development program, which will help support our rural communities and help them better meet the needs of the people who live there,” Senator Capito said in her release.
“Investing in our communities spurs economic development and creates good-paying, long-term jobs,” Senator Manchin said. “I am pleased USDA is investing more than $17.3 million in these seven critical projects across our great state, including a historic $14.3 million expansion of Boone Memorial Hospital.”
Individual awards listed below:
$7,000 City of Weston: This funding will be used to purchase two law enforcement vehicles outfitted as cruisers with lights, consoles and brackets to hold radio equipment.
$14,361,000 Loan for Boone Memorial Hospital Inc. (Madison, W.Va.): This Rural Development investment will be used to renovate a facility into a health clinic as an expansion of the current hospital, which serves all of Boone County and portions of Logan County. The project will provide outpatient healthcare and wellness services to a service area of approximately 32,200 rural residents.
$1,000,000 Grant for the Town of Bradshaw, W.Va.: This Rural Development investment will be used to convert the Town of Bradshaw’s waste water system to a traditional gravity system. This project will consolidate the majority of the customers onto centralized pumping stations for system efficiency and energy savings. Multiple consumption grinder pumps and vacuum stations will also be removed.
$904,783 Loan for the Forrest Place Preservation Association (Kermit, W.Va.): This Rural Development investment will be used to assist in the transfer, assumption and rehabilitation of Forrest Place Apartments, an existing multi-family housing complex in Kermit, W.Va. The project consists of 15 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom units.
$616,000 Grant for the Lavalette Public Service District (Lavalette, W.Va.): This Rural Development investment will be used to upgrade the German Ridge and Dickson areas of the Northern Distribution System to an eight-inch waterline to better serve the system’s customers with fire flow, reduced water loss and reduced operation and maintenance costs associated with leak repairs. The project will also install Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) additions, automatic flushing equipment, tank cleaning and an installation of tank mixers. The mapping of the entire Northern Distribution System will provide additional security and reduce the time associated with locating problems within the distribution system.
$474,000 Loan for Hardy County Rural Development Association: This Rural Development investment will be used to construct a new facility to house the Hardy County Health Department in Moorefield.
$17,200 Grant for the City of Smithers: This Rural Development investment will be used to assist with the purchase of a commercial tractor/mower vehicle for the city’s street department. The vehicle will have multiple capabilities including mower, front loader and backhoe attachments.