Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said the USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program has pledged funding of more than $1 million to improve water systems in Jonesville and Montpelier.
Jonesville, located in Catahoula Parish, will receive $205,000 while the Tangipahoa Parish community of Amite is slated to receive $850,000.
Strain said the funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"In addition to providing infrastructure for reliable drinking water and sanitary waste disposal services, the projects will create and retain jobs in the rural sector,” Strain said. “We’re extremely happy to see that Washington is recognizing the need to improve rural infrastructure in Louisiana.”
According to the LSU AgCenter Ag Summary, 55 percent of Louisiana parishes are considered non-metropolitan or rural.
“Our rural and non-metropolitan parishes contribute $31 billion to the state’s overall economy and provide 15 percent of Louisiana’s gross domestic product,” Strain said. “It’s just as important to provide expanded infrastructure in rural areas as urban settings.
“Our American farming communities feed the country and the world. We need to make sure we keep them in a position where they can compete on a national and international footing to recruit new business and growth.”
Strain said the USDA Rural Development's Water and Environmental Program provides loans and grants to ensure that necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas.
More information about the USDA Rural Development program may be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
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