Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Rural America in the infrastructure bill

story from Progressive Farmer, by Chris Clayton, features this lede:  

USDA's rural watershed and flood prevention program is just one area that will see an injection of funds under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) as the Senate continues to debate the bill.  
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 The bill has dozens of provisions that set aside specific funds for rural projects such as roads, bridges, waterways and broadband.

Among the road provisions, the bill includes the Rural Surface Transportation grant program, which authorizes $2 billion over five years. A separate bridge restoration fund would spend $3.26 billion over five years. Certain rural areas will see the federal government match on community projects to as much as 90%. 

For electric infrastructure upgrades in rural America, as much as $1 billion is authorized to help improve the electric grid in towns or unincorporated areas with 10,000 people or fewer. Another $1 billion is set aside for rural water grants.

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