Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) was awarded the National Rural Water Association’s “Rural Water Star” award for his work on behalf of water and waste systems in rural communities throughout the United States.

“It is an honor to receive the ‘Rural Water Star’ award,” Kohl said. “Rural citizens and small business need good infrastructure to thrive. Our towns can not support good jobs or expand small business without basic services. This is why I have pressed for funding to address the backlog of rural water projects across the country.”

Senator Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, sought federal funding for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Water and Waste program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This was the first time in the history of these programs at the USDA that they have had the resources to erase their entire backlog of competitively awarded projects.

This funding will provide small communities access to affordable water and waste systems. In addition, it will help stimulate the economy which is in desperate need of renewal and job creation. According to the USDA, 23,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on loans and grants for water and wastewater programs in the United States. The funding Senator Kohl worked to include in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will support loans and grants of more than $3.5 billion.  

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