WC Georgia News

WASHINGTON, DC – On May 24, 2023, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, announced several USDA grants and loans awarded for projects across Southwest Georgia. USDA awarded a total of $163,901,800 through a combination of programs – Community Facilities Grants, Emergency Rural Health Care Grants, Community Facilities Direct Loans & Grants, and Electric Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees – to the Early County Board of Commissioners, the Miller County Board of Commissioners, the Early County Hospital Authority, the City of Blakely, Flint River Fresh, Inc., Sumter EMC, and Georgia Transmission Corporation.

“With USDA leading the charge and through its many programs tailored to the unique challenges our rural areas face, we are building partnerships that improve infrastructure, create jobs, and grow these communities. That is why I continue to fight in Congress to robustly fund USDA Rural Development,” said Congressman Bishop. “This investments will help make healthcare better and keep it close to home, help our public services and law enforcement agencies keep our roads and communities safe, and improve the electrical grid so that residents have reliable, affordable energy for their homes and businesses.”

The awards announced this week include:

• $140,603,000 through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to the Georgia Transmission Corp to finance transmission system additions and improvement projects that include: installation of 18 new miles of transmission line, upgrading 89 transmission lines, as well as other projects that implement changes to the transmission stations and structures serving Southeast Alabama, Southwest Georgia, and North Florida
• $22,000,000 through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to Sumter EMC to connect 2,346 consumers and build as well as improve 295 miles of line – this includes $1,985,000 in smart grid technology improvements
• $712,500 in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants to the Early County Hospital Authority for the Early Medical Center to purchase two ambulances, two stretchers, a chiller, a nurse call system, a urinalysis analyzer, medication cabinet and a coagulation analyzer machine lab
• $299,000 Community Facilities Grant to Flint River Fresh, Inc. to purchase machinery, vehicles, and equipment to expand Flint River Fresh Inc.'s mission to improve access to fresh food as well as engage more local producers in Dougherty County and the Flint River region
• $50,000 grant and $37,300 in loans through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program to the City of Blakely to purchase two fully appointed patrol vehicles for city law enforcement
• $50,000 grant through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program to the Early County Board of Commissioners to purchase two fully equipped patrol vehicles to update the current fleet for the county law enforcement agency
• $50,000 grant through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program to the Early County Board of Commissioners to purchase a Mower Max Boom for the Public Works Department used to maintain rights of way, clean around bridges, and maintain all ditches and side brush
• $50,000 grant through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program to the Early County Board of Commissioners to purchase accounting program software, computers, record retention storage and radios for the jail
• $50,000 grant through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program to the Miller County Board of Commissioners to purchase heavy equipment – tractor and mower – for Miller County's Road Department

“On behalf of the rural member-owners of Sumter EMC we appreciate the ongoing support from Congressman Bishop and our entire delegation for electric cooperatives. As a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, we continue the mission of improving the quality of life through reliable and affordable electric service to some of the most impoverished areas of Georgia,” said Sumter EMC President & CEO Rene Smith. “As an infrastructure owner, we depend on large amounts of capital to maintain a strong grid, and the loan guarantees supported by our elected representatives make a real difference in the lives of our members.”

“Early Medical Center has big plans with the award of the USDA grant. The benefits for our patients will be felt for years to come,” said Early Medical Center CEO Ginger M. Cushing, RN, MSN/MHA. “We have purchased two new ambulances for our EMS service that should arrive in June and July. Other items include stretchers, lab analyzers, and a new nurse call system. New medication cabinets for pharmacy, which will increase medication administration accuracy and safety, will be purchased. We will also purchase new chillers (cooling water circulation devices) for the Hospital to keep our patients comfortable, equipment running properly, and infection rates down. We are so thankful to be the recipient of this Grant through the Hospital Authority of Early County.”

And, in a letter addressed to Congressman Bishop, Marty McLendon, Flint River Fresh Board Chairman said, “As a recipient of the Rural Development Community Facilities Grant, Flint River Fresh received funding desperately needed for equipment and infrastructure improvements vital to meeting the need for more food production in community and school gardens and urban farm sites… The Community Facilities Grant funds makes it possible for Flint River Fresh to expand its assistance to thousands of Georgians in [sic] living in poverty, food deserts, or experiencing food insecurity and inequities. Also, the funding enables Flint River Fresh to further develop sustainable conduits between people needing access to healthy food and small, disadvantaged farmers needing more opportunities to serve surrounding communities.”

“The USDA loan and grant will enable the City of Blakely to utilize budgeted funds to make other purchases. We are grateful and hope that this program will continue to assist small communities like Blakely to obtain necessary resources,” said City of Blakely Mayor Travis Wimbush.

“The funding from this grant was essential in providing the needed funding assistance to Early County. Early County’s accounting program of 25 years had reached a point that it could no longer run the daily functions needed to provide adequate information to the Board of Commissioners,” said Early County Board of Commissioners Chairman Clarence Jester. “The new cloud-based accounting program, SmartFusion, makes the process of accounts payable and accounts receivable more streamline and effective. Without the assistance of a USDA grant, this would not have been possible.”

Miller County Manager Douglas Cofty, CPM, said, “Being awarded a USDA grant for the tractor and mower for our road department is not just about equipment, it is an investment in safer roads, efficient maintenance, and a thriving community. We would like to thank Congressman Bishop for his continued support of southwest Georgia.”

USDA loans and grants are funded by Congress through the appropriations process that was led by Congressman Bishop last year when he was Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. This week’s awards were announced as part of the Biden Administration’s ongoing Rural Partners Network (www.rural.gov) effort, which places additional federal staff in partner communities to better collaborate with rural families and local leaders to identify resources needed and provide better access to federal programs that help these communities grow.

Community Facilities Grants provide funding to develop or improve essential public services and facilities in rural areas. There is also a Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Program that combines direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to offer affordable financing of these projects. Under the umbrella of the Community Facilities program are Emergency Rural Health Care Grants, which are designed to help broaden access to rural health care services and food assistance in rural areas.

The Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program makes insured loans and loan guarantees to nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies, and other utilities. Insured loans primarily finance the construction of electric distribution facilities in rural areas.

Original source can be found here.