Workers Reduce Hazardous Fuels on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
In August 2009, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie hired a five-person temporary fuels crew with $130,000 in ARRA funds to work on reducing hazardous fuels and invasive plants on the prairie. The prairie hired local residents, and the crew spent their first three weeks in intensive training in safety procedures, fire management, herbicide regulations, and orientation to the Forest Service. In addition to brush cutting and herbicide application, the crew is clearing fire breaks to prepare for prescribed fire projects and may be available for off-prairie wildland firefighting assignments in spring 2010. “I'm an avid hunter and really enjoy being in the outdoors, so having an opportunity to work in the outdoors is like dream come true for me. Prior to getting this position, the hours at my previous job had been cut back considerably…I was having a tough time paying my bills and finding other work. I’m hopeful that this position will lead to future opportunities for me within the Forest Service,” said Cody Glazier, a crew member /from New Lenox. The 20,000-acre prairie was established in 1996 as part of the peacetime conversion of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant in northeastern Illinois.
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Posted:
02:08PM Apr 15, 2010
by Gwen Ernstulrich in USDA Web Site |
Feeding the hungry
Thanks to the President and Congress, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $20 billion in additional funding to provide food to those most in need. It also provides infrastructure support to the National School Lunch Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations – to make them even stronger.
We know there are people in every community who face hunger and need help. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service oversees 15 nutrition assistance programs that form a national safety net against hunger. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, is our largest nutrition program serving more than 33 million people each month, half of whom are children.
In April 2009, SNAP helped 1,481,370 people in Illinois put more healthy food on the table, reaching 14.4 percent more people than the previous year. The beauty of the program is that it expands and contracts based on economic conditions. ARRA money provides participating SNAP families of four, for instance, an additional $80 each month to purchase nutritious food.
Helping the hungry in our communities not only provides needed assistance, but helps all of us by stimulating local economies. Every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates over $9 in total economic activity – both within local communities and well beyond.
The diets of low-income Americans are improved every day because of nutrition assistance programs. If you know someone in need, please have them call the SNAP toll-free number, 1-800-221-5689 or visit www.fns.usda.gov. Together, we can work toward the President’s mandate to end childhood hunger by 2015 and improve the lives of our youngest Americans.
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Posted:
01:33PM Jul 31, 2009
by Jean Daniel in USDA Web Site |
Eaton Water District
Eaton Water District
Eaton Water District, serving residents in northern Crawford County, Ill., was selected to receive a $1.375 million loan to provide safe water to 70 new households east of Annapolis. The district will use the funds to replace the existing water tower and install 25 miles of water main, expanding their water distribution system by more than 70 percent. The expansion will ease the residents’ concerns about contaminated water in nearby wells. As of June 17, this award brings Recovery Act funding for water systems in Illinois to $6.67 million.
On July 6th, members of Eaton Water District's team met in Robinson to review the Letter of Conditions. Tasks were assigned to the appropriate members. Numerous phone calls took place afterwards to further refine the various duties. We plan to meet the first week in October to gauge our progress toward loan closing.
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Posted:
03:22PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Village of Sandoval
Village of Sandoval
The Village of Sandoval in western Marion County has been approved for a $980,000 in ARRA loan and grant funding to solve its need for more water. The community has been relying on water from a 50,000 gallon water tower to supply its 1,234 residents with adequate water pressure and enough emergency storage capacity to meet requirements required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The funding will be used to correct the problem.
The village and Mayor Kretzer are looking into the possibility of using this funding to obtain a secondary water supply and building a water tower in a few years. It looks like this may be a greater need at this time.
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Posted:
03:19PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Scott County Rural Water Coop
Scott County Rural Water Coop
Scott County Rural Development Water Cooperative will use a $327,000 loan and $832,000 grant to bring safe water to an approximately 54 households. The project will require laying about 22 miles of water main to connect the new customers who currently depend on private wells for water. Tests confirmed that as high as 75 percent of these wells are contaminated. The water cooperative connected the first 230 customers to its system last fall.
The water cooperative met with Rural Development May 6 to discuss the Letter of Conditions which identifies the terms they need to meet to ensure proper use of public funds. As soon as all the conditions are met, they will advertise for bids for Phase II of the water cooperative’s efforts to bring safe water to the area. Fifty percents of the easements have already been secured. They expect to advertise for bids in October.
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Posted:
03:15PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Clay County Water Company
Clay County Water Company
Clay County Water, Inc. will receive a grant and loan totally $2,012,000 to make sure 233 households have safe drinking water. The new lines will serve portions of Harter, Louisville, Songer and Standford townships. The funding will ensure that safe drinking water is available to residents whose well water contaminated with bacteria and nitrates. The expansion which entails adding 63 miles of water main will nearly double the number of users connected to the system.
The good news about funding for Clay County Water was followed by the sad news that Board President Jacob Klein had unexpectedly passed away. He helped found the water company, was an active farmer and a member of a number of organizations. As the board copes with the loss, they are continuing to move forward to potential bidding this fall.
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Posted:
03:07PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
City of Barry
City of Barry
With its $747,000 Rural Development loan and grant, the City of Barry in Pike County will find a solution to the town’s water storage problem. It will build a 200,000 gallon water tower, doubling the city’s water storage capacity. The current tower meets only 65 percent of the community’s average daily demand. Additional water is needed to ensure residents and businesses will have enough water during times of peak usage and to fight fires. Barry, with a population of nearly 1,400, has 644 water customers.
The City met with Rural Development to review the Letter of Conditions which lays out what the city must do to ensure the proper use of public funds. In addition to the federal funds, Barry recently received a grant from the State of Illinois to help with the project. The plans and specifications should be complete this month and nearly all the rights of way are secured. The City should be able to advertise for bids next month.
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Posted:
03:04PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Shawnee Health Services
Shawnee Health Services
Shawnee Health Services and Development Corp. in Williamson County is using an ARRA loan of $1,073,000 to construct a 4000 sq. ft. building that will house a dental clinic to serve the residents of Franklin and Williamson counties. The facility will provide space for two dentists and two hygienists, in addition to other support staff. When fully staffed, the clinic will employ an estimated 10 full time employees.
Construction on Shawnee Health Services is continuing without with very few problems. The roof has been installed and rough plumbing and electrical work has been completed. About 50 percent of the interior framing has been completed. It looks like the installation of the exterior doors and windows should begin soon.
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Posted:
03:00PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Gibson Area Hospital
Gibson Area Hospital
Gibson Area Hospital in Ford County will use a $30,000 ARRA grant to upgrade one of its ambulances. Their current ambulance is a 1999 F350 with more than 200,000 miles. In order to be reliable, the ambulance needs new wiring, fixtures, circuit board, new module electrical distribution system, medical gas and suction ports. The ambulance service area continues to grow as other area ambulance services have ceased and Gibson Area Hospital contracts to provide emergency service to the additional areas. Their fleet of five staffed ambulances serves a rural area of more than 800 square miles.
We met last Thursday, July 9, with the board of Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services to issue the Letter of Conditions. We read through the conditions they need to meet before the funds can be made available to them. When the grantee meets the conditions in the letter, we can assure the public that all the safeguards for use of public funds have been met. The board is currently working to make sure the conditions are met.
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Posted:
02:57PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
City of Jacksonville
City of Jacksonville
The City of Jacksonville in Morgan County will use it $3,307,000 loan to reconstruct streets on the north and south sides of the town square. The city had created a plaza or outdoor mall in the 70’s and built “quadrant” buildings on the north and south sides of the square that have since been demolished. This project will restore traffic around the square in an effort to re-establish economic vitality in the downtown area. The ARRA funding will be used to build two streets as well as storm water sewers, curbing, and gutters, etc. The project also includes streetscape improvements, such as parking, sidewalks, signage and landscaping.
The funding was approved May 26. The City received it letter of conditions that lays out the terms of the loan that must be met before they proceed with building the two new roads and all other aspects of the reconstruction. The plans and specifications are already complete, and they expect the rights of way to be secured this month. At that point, the City can begin to advertise for bids. Construction could start as early as November.
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Posted:
02:51PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Tri City Regional Port District
Tri City Regional Port District
Tri-City Regional Port District (TCRPD), located in Madison County, has been approved for a $400,000 loan to extend 3,000 feet of sewer line. The project is part of an industrial park that was developed at the former Melvin Price Support Center. The gravity sanitary sewer extension is part of TCRPD’s plans to renovate and upgrade the infrastructure at the site in order to meet the current and future needs of at least four major industries.
This project is proceeding very quickly. Plans and specifications are nearly complete. It looks like Tri-City Regional will be ready to bid out the project in the next 30 to 45 days.
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Posted:
02:47PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Franklin Williamson Human Services
Franklin Williamson Human Services
The H Group, formerly Franklin Williamson Human Services, plans to use its $1,711,000 loan through ARRA to construct a 5500 sq. ft. building that will house a mental health facility to serve the residents of Williamson, Franklin and surrounding counties in southern Illinois. The number of patient visits for mental health care services has tripled in recent years. The location of the medical facility next to this mental health/behavioral services facility would enable the staff at the two facilities to better serve the multiple needs of their patients. The H Group currently operates a similar facility in West Frankfort, Illinois, that maintains a waiting list for mental health services.
The H-Group mental health facility project is awaiting the resolution of proposed state budget cuts that are affecting Illinois social service providers. The cuts would affect the ability of H-Group to staff the facility. The project remains on hold until state funding issues are resolved.
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Posted:
02:42PM Jul 16, 2009
by Kim Duncan in USDA Web Site |
Tell Us Your Story
USDA is implementing the $28 billion provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). This Funding will help jumpstart the Nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. Our efforts will help modernize our nation's infrastructure, revitalize rural communities, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need. Give us your feedback and tell us how the Recovery Act is helping in your local communities.
All comments will be posted within 24 hours or less.
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Posted:
04:42PM Apr 29, 2009
by NITC Blog Admin in USDA Recovery Act |
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Thursday Apr 15, 2010
