USDA Selects Projects to Move Forward in Awards Process to Repair Rural Facilities Damaged by Disasters

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden today announced that USDA has selected 15 projects in ten states and Puerto Rico to move forward in the awards process to repair or replace essential community facilities that were damaged by disasters in calendar years 2022 or 2023.

USDA’s selections through the Community Facilities Disaster Grants Program will help public bodies, Federally recognized Tribes and community-based nonprofits rebuild in the aftermath of 2022 and 2023 disasters.

“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA stand ready to deploy every resource we have available to help families and individuals rebuild their lives and their communities in the aftermath of disasters,” Under Secretary Gooden said. “The selections I’m announcing today will help America’s rural small towns and remote communities become more resilient in the face of increasingly severe weather, wildfires and other risks.”  Congress updated the funding and authority for the Disaster Grants Program in March 2024. Since that time, USDA Rural Development has moved expeditiously to administer the funding to the communities and people who need it most.

Today’s selections total up to $36 million under the Community Facilities Disaster Grants Program. Applicants plan to use the funding to repair or replace damaged essential community facilities, replace damaged equipment or vehicles, and purchase new equipment to make much-needed repairs.

For example:

• The village of East Palestine in Ohio plans to use the funding to build a new administrative building that combines its police station, fire department and emergency services. These buildings were forced to evacuate due to the exposure of hazardous materials caused by the train derailment in 2023.
• The municipality of San Lorenzo in Puerto Rico plans to use the disaster assistance to repair their Emergency Management Center, which experienced significant damage caused by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. Funding will replace the roof and repair structural damage and severe leaks.
• The town of Mexico in Maine plans to use the disaster assistance to build a new fire station outside of the flood zone, which would provide more effective and efficient services to the community residents following a natural disaster.

These selections to move forward in the process will benefit disaster impacted communities in California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont and Puerto Rico.

Background

The Community Facilities Program received supplemental disaster funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

Additional resources to support rural communities seeking disaster assistance are available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/rural-development-disaster-assistance.

USDA 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. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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