GREENSBURG – Senator Pat Roberts and Congressman Jerry Moran today announced that USDA Rural Development will increase community facility grant funding eligibility from 35 percent to 60 percent for the rebuilding of Greensburg and Kiowa County.

“This is a real breakthrough in our efforts to free up funds to close the resource gap in financing critical infrastructure destroyed by the May 4, 2007, F-5 tornado,” Roberts and Moran said. “There is now an opportunity to restore vital community services at a faster pace.” 

Any city, county or community facilities within Greensburg will be eligible for up to 60 percent grant funding for the project amount funded by USDA Rural Development. The level of increase will be determined on a project by project basis. The additional grant assistance will help local officials repair or replace community facilities that provide health care, telecommunications, public safety and government services. Going forward, USDA Rural Development will now consider the impact of disasters when determining the percentage of grant funds available to rural communities in Kansas and across the nation.

“These additional resources will help accelerate project development, bid offerings, contract commitments and construction of much needed local government and community facilities,” Chuck Banks, Kansas USDA Rural Development Director, said.

“This will help spread the money available to us to a larger area and will make a world of difference,” Gene West, Kiowa County Commissioner, said. “We are grateful for the additional assistance and the difference it will make as Kiowa County continues to rebuild.”

“We appreciate USDA Rural Development making this important change and considering disaster damage when determining community facility grant funding eligibility,” Roberts and Moran said. “This will be helpful to rural areas across America in the event that a disaster occurs.”

 
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