MONTGOMERY, Ala., June 23, 2021 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it is investing $437,300 to provide modern equipment to public safety agencies and local governments that provide essential services in rural Alabama. The investments will benefit over 17,000 rural residents.
“Local governments and public safety agencies are on the front lines every day, providing essential services to rural residents,” said Rural Development Alabama Acting State Director Allen Bowen. “This assistance, some of it going to purchase critical and lifesaving equipment, will greatly increase the ability of these entities to serve Alabama’s rural areas. With the help of USDA Rural Development, we can work to help rural communities across America build back stronger.”
Background:
USDA is investing in 3 projects in Alabama through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program:
- In Chambers County, the city of Lanett is receiving a $48,000 grant to purchase two fully equipped utility police vehicles for the police department. The new police vehicles will come with lights, sirens, computers, printers, safety bars, detainee transport partitions, and advanced communication systems. The updated vehicles will complement Lanett Police Department’s current capabilities, will provide police officers with safer and more modern equipment, will allow law enforcement to better serve rural residents, and will provide for quicker response times for police for the approximately 6,500 residents.
- In Colbert County, the city of Tuscumbia is receiving a $214,100 loan to purchase needed equipment for several departments in the city of Tuscumbia. The city will purchase a knuckle boom crane for the public works department, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment and extrication equipment for its fire department, and a police vehicle for its police department. The SCBA equipment, extrication equipment, and police vehicle will replace aging equipment which will increase safety for, and the response capability for first responders. With the addition of the knuckle boom crane, the public works department will increase its capacity to serve the residents of Tuscumbia. The purchase of this equipment will benefit approximately 8,500 residents both in Tuscumbia and in surrounding areas.
- In Jackson County, the Macedonia Fire Protection Authority is receiving a $96,000 disaster grant and a $79,000 direct loan to purchase a water tanker fire truck. The fire truck will replace an older water tanker truck that is currently in service. Because of the rural area in which the Authority operates, and the small number of fire hydrants available for firefighting, the purchase of this truck will increase the firefighting capability of the Authority. Additionally, the purchase of a new truck will allow for faster response times, greater equipment reliability, and increased safety for first responders. This investment will benefit more than 2,800 rural residents in Jackson County.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
To learn more about Community Facilities Program funding opportunities in Alabama, contact your local USDA Rural Development Area Office. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
