Press Release - Wednesday, June 02, 2004
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GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES NEARLY $4 MILLION IN OPPORTUNITY RETURNS FUNDING FOR CRITICAL CENTRAL REGION INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod Blagojevich today announced nearly $4 million in funding for new sanitation and water drainage improvement projects in the Central region. These key initiatives will improve the health and quality of life of Central region residents, as well as provide necessary infrastructure for economic growth. This aggressive effort to improve the quality of infrastructure and public facilities will be a major theme of the Governor's Opportunity Returns initiative for the Central region, his comprehensive, pro-active plan for restoring economic opportunity to the area, which will be announced soon.
"The most important thing we can do for the Central region is to create new jobs," said Governor Blagojevich. "Water and sanitation improvements might not be the most exciting projects, but they are vital to the growth and expansion of the Central Illinois economy. By focusing locally, we will bring jobs and opportunity to the Central region, one person, one company, and one community at a time."
The funds for this initiative are part of the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP), a federally-funded grant program that assists Illinois communities by providing grants to local governments to help them in financing economic development, public facilities and housing rehabilitation projects. The program is targeted to assist low-to-moderate income people by creating job opportunities and improving the quality of their living environment. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administers the program.
These CDAP initiatives address a crucial need for the region. Communities with established infrastructure are under constant pressure to upgrade and rehabilitate their systems to keep up with changing Environmental Protection Agency regulations, changing populations and changing needs. As more rural water wells are becoming undrinkable, rural water providers assume an even greater importance.
Adequate sewer and water service is also vital to community and economic development. Without basic infrastructure, communities cannot compete for company relocation and expansion, but with a healthy infrastructure in place, communities can create jobs and prosper.
The Central region's public facilities improvements are as follows:
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|
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Total: $3,861,540 |
Location |
Type |
Description |
Cost ($) |
Village of Eldred, Greene County |
Public Facilities |
Construct Water Line |
105,000 |
City of Roodhouse, Green County |
Design Engineering |
Design Water Supply System |
170,440
|
Bunker Hill Township, Macoupin County |
Public Facilities |
Construct elevated water storage tank, water lines |
350,000 |
Village of Royal Lakes, Macoupin County |
Public Facilities |
Construct new water tower |
210,000 |
Village of Wilsonville, Macoupin County |
Public Facilities |
Repair sanitary sewer system |
120,000 |
Village of Ohlman, Montgomery County |
Design Engineering |
Design water distribution system |
56,100 |
Village of Manchester, Scott County |
Public Facilities |
Construct new water main |
350,000 |
Scott County |
Public Facilities |
Construct water distribution system |
350,000 |
Village of Findlay, Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct wastewater treatment system |
400,000 |
Ash Grove Township, Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct rural water extension,
Lincoln Prairie Water District |
350,000 |
Clarksburg Township,
Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct rural water extension,
Lincoln Prairie Water District |
350,000 |
Richland Township, Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct rural water extension,
Lincoln Prairie Water District |
350,000 |
Windsor Township
Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct water system expansion,
Lincoln Prairie Water District |
350,000 |
City of Shelbyville,
Shelby County |
Public Facilities |
Construct sewer system improvements |
350,000 |
Total: 3,861,540
"Everyone who lives or works in Central Illinois stands to benefit from the kind of upgrades these grants will support," said Jack Lavin, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "People will access better water and sanitation at home, and companies will be more likely to invest in the region if the infrastructure exists to support them."
The Opportunity Returns regional economic development plan is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn't work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions - finding areas with common economic strengths and needs, and developing a plan with specific actions for each region. This grassroots effort is a product of significant outreach over several months with business, civic and labor leaders, and elected officials. Opportunity Returns contains tangible actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to business.
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