WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 14, 2013 -- Remote villages throughout Alaska will soon receive 11 grants to help finance needed water system upgrades and improve the quality of life for residents.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grant awards on Tuesday, Nov. 13. "These awards will dramatically improve living conditions for residents of these predominately native rural Alaska villages," he said. "They will enable residents to have safe, modern water and sanitation systems."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $27.7 million through the Rural Alaska Village grant (RAVG) program. The funding is the latest in USDA's ongoing support for residents in remote Alaska villages. Under recent direction from the Obama Administration and Secretary Vilsack, the USDA has improved the program to ensure that it addresses the challenging sanitation conditions that exist in many Alaska native villages.
Between Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 and FY 2013, 63 construction and 76 planning grants have been funded through RAVG, improving service to more than 18,000 rural Alaskans.
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