WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee – announced that the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) awarded $30,000 to the Village of Rock Creek for wastewater planning.  The project, funded through the RUS’ Water and Environmental Program, will improve wastewater infrastructure – providing access to clean water and creating jobs.

“Ohio’s rural communities and small towns face a heavy burden when financing infrastructure projects,” Brown said. “This federal investment will lead to more reliable service for residents, more efficient operations for local businesses, and cleaner waterways for Rock Creek. Projects like this help boost the economy and make the region more competitive.”

Brown is working to help communities around Ohio struggling to afford costly but necessary renovations to sewer systems. This month, he introduced the Clean Water Affordability Act to help communities make renovations to outdated sewer systems, while improving water quality and keeping rates affordable for residents and small business.

Brown is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years. In 2014, he was part of the Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee that successfully negotiated a five-year farm bill that had been stalled for more than three years. Brown supported a strong Rural Development title in the 2014 Farm Bill to encourage economic development in rural communities. During Senate consideration of the farm bill, Brown sponsored an amendment to support rural development, which cleared the Senate with bipartisan support by a vote of 55-44. Brown’s amendment would fund critical U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development programs that help Ohio communities update wastewater and sewer infrastructure systems, provide access to capital for Ohio agricultural producers and small businesses, and provide technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers.

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