Announcement of Funding for the Multi-Community Water Project

Clintwood, Virginia

March 27, 2008

            I am pleased to return to Dickenson County today to announce a significant provision of federal funding which will allow for the provision of publicly provided water service to 112 homes.  Once this project is completed, more than 92 percent of Dickenson County homes will have access to publicly provided water services.

At my request the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency is providing a total of $384,000 to the Dickenson County Public Service Authority to construct an extension of public water service to several communities in Dickenson County. Of that total amount, the Rural Development Agency is providing a federal grant of $288,000 and a low-interest federal loan of $96,000.

            The total cost of this project is $2,584,000. In addition to the $384,000 I am announcing today, $1.5 million has been provided by the Virginia Department of Health.  The Coalfield Water Development Fund has provided $125,000, and Dickenson County has provided $75,000.  Additionally, the PSA has applied for a $500,000 federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for this project, and I am strongly supporting this application for additional federal funding and hope to announce its award in the near future.

            The funding which I am announcing today will enable the extension of public water service to the Dark Hollow, Robinson Mountain, Rock Lick, Sutherland Ridge, Hatchet Mountain, Roaring Fork and Phillips Hollow communities in Dickenson County.  The project will include the installation of more than 17 miles of water lines as well as the installation of six pump stations, four 10,000 gallon water storage facilities, two hydro-pneumatic tanks and one pressure reducing station.

            Currently the residents of these Dickenson County communities rely on private wells and springs, which are often unreliable and provide inadequate water pressure and quality. Many of these water sources have been contaminated by surface water intrusion, introducing harmful bacteria and chemicals.

            The project for which I am announcing funding today will greatly improve the quality of life for the residents who will receive the service. This project represents another significant step in our ongoing work to improve and expand access to public water service throughout Southwest Virginia.

            I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a number of individuals who have been instrumental in making today's announcement possible.

            I would like to thank Travis Jackson, Area Director for the Rural Development Agency, and his excellent staff for their successful efforts to secure funding for the multi-community project.

            Teddy Bailey, Delano Sykes and Shelby Willis, who are members of the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors and represent the communities that will be served by this project, deserve our thanks for their leadership.  I would also like to recognize and thank Donnie Rife and Roger Stanley, who serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board respectively.

            I would also like to thank Daman Rasnick, Chair of the Dickenson County Public Service Authority, Ron Phillips, Executive Director of the PSA, and the other Members of the Public Service Authority Board for their efforts.

            I would like to express my appreciation to Leman Kendrick, County Engineer and Mark Vanover, County Administrator, for their outstanding work.

            Jim Baldwin, the Executive Director of the Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission and his excellent staff perform outstanding work for our region and I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts.

Donna Stanley, Director of the Coalfield Water Development Fund, deserves our appreciation for her support of this water project and many others across Southwest Virginia.

            I also want to thank the residents of each of these communities who have contacted my office as well as the Public Service Authority and worked to supply user agreements and the other information necessary for this project.

            Finally, I want to thank my Project Manager and Dickenson County native, Derek Lyall, for his excellent work in support of this project.

Today's announcement is an example of what can be achieved when citizens and government officials at the local, state and federal levels work together in aid of a common purpose.  For that cooperation and successful work in establishing public water service for these Dickenson County communities, I want to commend everyone here and offer special congratulations to the residents who will be receiving the new water service.