WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) have announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDARD) has awarded a total of $4.739 million in grants and loans to Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties for water and waste-disposal projects and pre-development planning purposes.
“All Marylanders deserve clean, safe water. Modern and reliable water infrastructure protects public health, supports job creation and improved the state of the Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Cardin, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and author of S. 741, The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act. “For each public dollar we put into water infrastructure, we see an increase in private long-term GDP output of more than six dollars. This smart investment in water infrastructure on the Eastern Shore shows how America can create jobs and improve quality of life by planning proactively, rather than waiting to make costly emergency repairs of our crumbling infrastructure.”
“Maryland cities and towns need to upgrade their water and sewer infrastructure but they can’t do it on their own,” Senator Mikulski said. “These funds in the federal checkbook will allow our rural communities in Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties to update critical infrastructure. By investing in our water infrastructure, we are investing in the health and safety of Maryland families and businesses.”
Queen Anne’s County received a $918,000 grant and a $2.43 million Rural Utility Service loan to fund the construction of a new waste water treatment plant for the towns of Sudlersville and Barclay.
The Talbot County Council received a $233,000 grant and a $1.158 million loan to make infrastructure improvements to an existing septage treatment facility. The improvements will re-establish a bio-solids/grease treatment facility that will serve Talbot & Caroline Counties.
The USDA Rural Development grant program was created to improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. The program helps support essential services and infrastructure improvements, and promotes economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools.
