More than $40 million in infrastructure grants and loans were announced Tuesday for three area communities.
The funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will improve electric and clean water distribution in Poplar Bluff, Van Buren and Bernie, according to an announcement from USDA Rural Development State Director in Missouri Kyle Wilkens.
“Modern infrastructure, whether it’s for safer water and wastewater treatment or improved energy connectivity, is essential to helping create good-paying jobs and support opportunities for rural Missourians to build brighter futures,” Wilkens said in a press release. “Today’s investments are great examples of USDA’s dedication to ensuring that people who live and work in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed right at home.”
Area loans and grants represent more than half of the $70.3 million in Rural Development dollars designated for Missouri.
“(It will) help rural cooperatives and utilities build and improve electric infrastructure and increase electric grid reliability and security, connecting hundreds of thousands of people in rural areas,” according to USDA. “This funding will also help provide clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems in rural areas for years to come.”
M&A Electric Power Cooperative, a generation and transmission electric cooperative in Poplar Bluff, will receive a loan of nearly $26.8 million.
“This Rural Development investment will be used to build and improve 16 miles of transmission line. This loan includes $1,429,120 in smart grid technologies,” USDA reported.
M&A provides wholesale electric service to four distribution cooperatives in Southeast Missouri that provide electric service to an average of 90,000 distribution consumers in 20 counties in Missouri.
Both Van Buren and Bernie will receive water and waste disposal funds from Rural Development.
Van Buren has been awarded a $2.9 million grant and $600,000 loan to make corrections to the city’s wastewater collection lines and make needed upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.
“The city has made a connection to the Deer Run Sewer District and will be able to treat their waste. Improvements include rehabilitation on over 2 miles of wastewater collection line and general treatment facility modernization,” grant documents show.
This is also expected to bring both the city and Deer Run Sewer District into compliance with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
“Once completed, this investment will benefit all citizens of Van Buren with an updated treatment facility,” officials report.
Bernie has been awarded a nearly $6.6 million loan and $3.5 million grant to improve its water distribution system, water treatment plant and water storage tanks.
“The project will help correct excessive water loss; replace lead-joint cast iron and galvanized steel prone to leakage and breaks; and address inadequate valves, hydrants, and line sizes,” officials said.
Numerous upgrades and repairs are planned, including the removal and replacement of water storage tanks 1 and 2 with a 150,000-gallon elevated tank. Water storage tank 3 will be repainted.
“The project will also replace existing water service meters with radio-read meters and radio-reading-and-billing equipment and software,” officials said.