Small Town News

Governor deliver grants in LaSalle

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Six grants totaling $474,738 for agencies

Governor Bobby Jindal awarded six grants totaling $474,738 to LaSalle Parish governing agencies that will go towards hurricane recover efforts, hazard mitigation and infrastructure improvements.

Jindal awarded the funds to local officials in a ceremonial check presentation during a town hall meeting at the Dixie Center in Olla last Friday as part of his "Louisiana Working Tour."

These grants totaling nearly a half million dollars are in addition to over $2.6 million in grants and loans delivered to the parish and various town officials in mid-July by State Senator Neil Riser and State Representative Billy Chandler.

The six grants awarded last Friday include a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) totaling $154,738, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding totaling $150,000, and four Community Water Enrichment Fund (CWEF) grants totaling $120,000.

Gov. Jindal said, "Instead of creating another Road Home program that would only hold up our people's recovery in red tape, we're sending these funds directly to parishes so officials on the ground can make their own decisions about how to rebuild and get ready for future storms."

Upon awarding the CWEF grants, Gov. Jindal said, "With these funds, rural communities are able to improve and maintain their water infrastructure systems that are critical to a good quality of life for all Louisianians."

CDBG Funds

The Governor said LaSalle Parish received $154,738 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to aid the recovery effort from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which caused widespread housing and infrastructure damage last year.

Damage levels were determined for each parish based on HUD analysis and FEMA damage assessments. To use federal CDBG funds, states must present action plans for federal approval. HUD already approved Louisiana's first action plan for using these funds.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Gov. Jindal said the parish received $150,000 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to support local hazard mitigation projects to protect LaSalle from future damage following hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Unlike HMGP funds given to Louisiana after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this HMGP funding comes with a requirement for local and state governments to pay matching costs, meaning the federal government pays 75 percent of the costs, with local or state government required to pay for 25 percent of the cost of the projects.

Louisiana has repeatedly requested that federal government waive or lower the state and local match requirement, given the scope of the destruction wrought by four storms in three years.

CWEF Funding

Gov. Jindal awarded the following four Community Water Enrichment Fund grants totaling $120,000:

The Town of Jena received a $35,000 grant to install larger water lines.

The Town of Olla received a $35,000 grant to be used to join the water supply lines under the Union Pacific Railroad in downtown Olla.

The Town of Tullos received a $25,000 grant that will be used to upgrade the water system.

The Town of Urania received a $25,000 grant to install backup water lines at the LaSalle Correctional Center.

The Community Water Enrichment Fund was established in the 2008 Louisiana regular legislative session to ensure safe and clean drinking water. The CWEF aids units of local government solely for the purpose of rehabilitation, improvement, and construction projects for community water systems.

LaSalle Parish Police Jury President Wayne Richardson was on hand to accept the CDBG and HMGP grants.

Jena, Olla and Urania mayors Murphy McMillin, Wanda Love and Terri Corley and Tullos alderman Jim Ar-bogast were present to accept the CWEF grants for their individual towns.



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© 2009 The Jena Times Jena, Louisiana. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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