US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
13 Colorado projects in rural and tribal communities selected, investments will create thousands of jobs
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet celebrated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) award of over $170 million to 13 Colorado projects in rural and Tribal communities to expand access to safe drinking water and reliable energy. The funding is part of a $1.3 billion nationwide investment from USDA to make our water infrastructure and our electrical grid more resilient to extreme weather and create thousands of good-paying jobs in the process.
“Where you live shouldn’t determine if you have clean water to drink or reliable electricity to keep the lights on,” said Hickenlooper. “From Rocky Ford to Silverton, these investments will create thousands of good-paying jobs while expanding access to safe drinking water and reliable energy. ”
“Everyone deserves access to clean and safe water, no matter where they live. However, far too many rural communities in Colorado face the challenges of aging or unsafe water infrastructure. I’m glad towns from Holly to Del Norte will receive this federal support to help them continue delivering reliable, clean water to Coloradans across the state,” said Bennet.
The federal investments come from the USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program and the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program. The funding is divided between over $127 million in grant funding and over $42 million in federal loans to the 13 Colorado projects.
A full list of selected projects is below:
Recipient
Grant Awarded
Loan Awarded
Description
Location
San Miguel Power Association
N/A
$29,784,000
Build and improve power lines, invest in smart grid technologies
San Miguel County
Hunter Solar
N/A
$38,285,000
Provide long term financing of a 75 MW solar farm
Arapahoe County
Meadow Mountain Water Supply Company
$1,974,000
$441,000
Repair failing water distribution system
Allenspark, CO
Town of Silverton
$2,764,000
$2,165,000
Improve wastewater treatment facilities
Town of Silverton
Sedalia Water and Sanitation District
$5,045,000
$561,000
Help replace an aging water distribution system and connect the system to Castle Rock’s water system
Douglas County
Town of Holly
$6,189,000
$4,740,000
Construct a new well and treatment plant and improve system efficiency
Town of Holly
Town of Walsh
$4,404,000
$1,550,000
Upgrade the water treatment system
Town of Walsh
Montezuma Water Company
N/A
$15,300,000
Modernize the water system to increase capacity, install new water pumps
Montezuma County
Town of Del Norte
$11,018,000
$12,010,000
Replace undersized and failing water piping and add fire hydrants to extend firefighting coverage
Town of Del Norte
Town of Bethune
$2,662,000
$1,523,000
Decommission existing treatment plant and construct a new 3-pond evaporation system
Town of Bethune
Marble Water Company
$455,000
$1,158,000
Install new distribution lines, fire hydrants, and water pumps
Town of Marble
City of Rocky Ford
$7,935,000
$20,351,000
Replace problematic sections of the existing water system
City of Rocky Ford