KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to pour billions of dollars in rural infrastructure and agriculture projects.
The latest announcement Monday is an additional $25 million grant for the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project.
The reservoir services approximately 54,000 residents in Mercer, Putnam, Schuyler, Grundy, Sullivan, Adair, Livingston, Linn, Macon, and Chariton counties in north-central Missouri.
Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican who has championed the project as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said worsening drought conditions — which impact farmers, other businesses and families in north-central Missouri — make it a priority
The project had already received $5.6 million from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for each of the last five years (2016-20) for development of the watershed project, aimed at bringing water to rural communities in the region.
Blunt’s office previously announced a $20 million investment in the dam project in August 2018.
The project also received a $3 million grant and $5 million loan for equipment at the East Locust Creek water treatment plant in October.
With the latest announced, the USDA has committed $81 million to the project.
The Department of Transportation also announced a $13.5-million BUILD Grant to relocate roads near the dam, bringing the total federal investment in the project to at least $94.5 million.
Missouri is paying an additional $7.2 million and local governments are expected to kick in $16.5 million for the project’s $125-million final budget.
