INDIANAPOLIS – Linton and Oolitic are among the 25 rural Indiana communities sharing in more than $12.8 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure and to address blighted properties. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the grants Sept. 9.
“These grants are important for our rural communities to continue their economic and community development,” Crouch said. “Not only does this funding help address blight and water infrastructure issues, but also is an important investment to improving the quality of life and quality of place for Hoosiers.”
Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
“We need to ensure our Hoosier communities have safe, reliable structures and water infrastructure,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “These grants will help towns and cities to make necessary, and sometimes critical, improvements to their water systems or remove blight property to help provide a safe and healthy community for its residents.”
Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg.
Blight Clearance Program
Linton is being awarded $324,450 under the Blight Clearance Program to clear the old, abandoned Eagles Building located at 60 E. Vincennes St. Once the asbestos is abated and the demolition is complete, the lot will be leveled and stabilized with stone and covered with a six-inch layer of clean topsoil, graded and seeded. A small concrete pad will be located on the site and the historic carved limestone Eagles logo will be permanently placed.
The Blight Clearance Program encourages communities with blighted properties to focus on long-term community development and revitalization through improving quality of place, generating jobs and spurring economic revitalization. Eligible projects include the removal of deteriorated or abandoned downtown buildings or vacant/unusable industrial sites.
Other Southern Indiana recipients this round include:
- Cannelton, in Perry County, which was awarded $500,000 to eliminate hazardous environmental conditions at the former Can-Clay Corporation property. This environmental remediation project includes the removal of hazardous materials including asbestos, drums and containers, brick debris, clay pipe debris, PVC pipe, scrap tires and sawdust to significantly improve a blighted area that is approximately 26 acres in the heart of the city.
- Francisco, in Gibson County, which was awarded $75,000 for the demolition and clearance of the abandoned, deteriorated building known as the old “IOOF” building located at 84 S.R. 64 in Francisco. Removal of the building will protect the health and safety of residents and will be a key component to making the downtown area more marketable for future growth and development.
- Patoka, in Gibson County, which was awarded $100,000 for the demolition of the Old Patoka School, located at 200 S. Main St. within the Town of Patoka, White River Township. The project includes complete demolition of the building and the remediation of any needed environmental abatement. The resulting green space will improve the health and safety for all town residents, while providing an aesthetically pleasing place for nearby residents.
Other recipients around the state include Knox, Miami County, Sharpsville, Silver Lake and Union City.
Stormwater Improvement Program
Oolitic is being awarded $600,000 under the Stormwater Improvement Program to reduce flooding. The project includes the replacement of collapsed or failing culverts and the construction of a new storm sewer collection system for areas that do not currently have any infrastructure. In addition, channels will be stabilized with products to minimize erosion and will reconnect all active storm piping connected to the existing storm sewer.
The Stormwater Improvement Program strives to reduce flooding, cut stormwater treatment and energy costs, protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape, and generate jobs to spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for this grant funding include stormwater improvements, as well as demolition and/or clearance. Other recipients around the state include Clinton, Fountain City and Walton.
Wastewater/Drinking Water Program
The goals of the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible Wastewater/Drinking Water Program projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements. Southern Indiana recipients this round include:
- Dale, in Spencer County, which was awarded $700,000 to upgrade and improve the wastewater collection system. The project includes manhole rehabilitation, collection system rehabilitation, replacement of an existing gravity sewer, lift station improvements and rehabilitation, lift station control panel and electrical improvements, and wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Dillsboro, in Dearborn County, which was awarded $700,000 to upgrade the town’s drinking water system. The drinking water project includes upgrades to the 200,000- and 75,000-gallon water tank, new water mains, water main replacement, SCADA improvements and the replacement of all residential meters.
- Edinburgh, in Bartholomew County, which was awarded $700,000 to construct a new dual-media water treatment plant. As well as new variable frequency drives at wells, new motors and pumps at all four well sites, and the construction of a new water well.
- Elizabethtown, in Bartholomew County, which was awarded $700,000 to improve the town’s wastewater infrastructure. The project includes collection system improvements, equalization tank improvements and wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Hazleton, in Gibson County, which was awarded $700,000 to provide upgrades and improvements to the wastewater system. The areas of focus for improvements include manhole rehabilitation, collection system rehabilitation, replacement of an existing gravity sewer, lift station rehabilitation, lift station control panel and electrical improvements, and wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Patriot, in Switzerland County, which was awarded $487,011 to replace one lift station, rehabilitate one lift station and remove one lift station. The removed lift station will be replaced by a gravity sewer main connected to the newly replaced lift station.
Other recipients around Indiana include Cambridge City, Greencastle, Kingman, Kingsford Heights, Randolph County and Trafalgar.