- On April 27, the Forest Service opened four Economic Recovery Operations Centers (EROCs) in Vallejo, California; Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; and Atlanta, Georgia. The centers will provide the Agency's field units with services related to ARRA contracting, grant development, grant implementation, and monitoring.
- FSA Aquaculture Assistance program staff received responses from several States relaying their desire to participate in the program, providing data needed to determine funding allocations for each State, and comments to draft grant agreements. States were given a deadline of May 1 to submit information to USDA.
- The primary large-scale USDA Modernization solicitation was released by USDA and GSA/FEDSIM for vendor competition related to FSA IT Stabilization and Modernization efforts. The solicitation is available on GSA e-Buy (www.ebuy.gsa.gov).
- FSA Direct Farm Operating Loans has used Recovery Act funds of $20,412,189, greater than 99 percent of the appropriated funds, to generate 2,636 Direct Farm Operating Loans valued at $173,131,112. Twenty-three percent of the loans were issued to socially disadvantaged (SDA) farmers (including SDA beginning farmers) and 41% were issued to non-SDA beginning farmers. As of May 1, loans valued at $123,178,931, approximately 71 percent of the total obligations, have been disbursed for use by America's farmers
- For the Floodplain Easements Program, the sign-up period has ended for all states.
- Loan level obligations: Single Family Housing - Direct: $130,716,396; Single Family Housing - Guaranteed: $3,796,492,265; and Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants: $1,150,000.
- Secretary Vilsack announced $615.8 Million in Recovery Act Water and Waste Disposal projects on April 28, 2009. Processed obligations for $400 million (out of the $615.8 million) of the first and second tranches of Water and Waste Disposal Program funding. Obligations will post in coming week.
Posted to the USAJobs Web site, 7 recruitments for temporary positions to support the implementation of the Broadband Program under ARRA.
- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $224 million today for 110 hazardous fuels reduction and ecosystem improvement projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The projects are located on forested lands in over 26 states and territories.
- Secretary Vilsack noted several American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) efforts that are underway in Colorado and across the country through the work of USDA. Some of these efforts to make positive change in the lives of Coloradans include:
- The Farm Service Agency is working to distribute the $173 million allocated in the Recovery Act for its Direct Operating Farm Loan Program. So far, 13 Colorado farmers have been awarded a total of $682,500 in loans. Of these 9 have been to beginning farmers and 3 have been awarded to socially disadvantaged farmers.
- The Rural Development Agency has allocated funds to provide nearly $8.2 million in direct loans and guarantee another $81.4 million worth of loans in the state of Colorado. Already, USDA has helped guarantee 283 loans in the state worth nearly $45.7 million and directly issued another 6 loans worth nearly $600,000. These loans can help rural residents build, repair, renovate, or relocate a home, or to purchase and prepare sites, including providing water and sewage facilities.
- Colorado's Forest Service received more than $19.4 million for facility and hazardous fuels projects, including: $1,543,000 in funding to the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Fort Collins for a capital improvement and maintenance project to make the lab facility more energy efficient with sustainable energy considerations including installing an alternative energy source on the roof. It will also allow for further consolidation out of leased space. $5 million for Wildland Fire Management and Bark Beetle Mitigation in Routt, Grand and Jackson Counties in Northern Colorado. The national forests in Colorado have partnered with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps which hires young adults, ages 18 to 25, to work on conservation projects on private and public lands. Using ARRA funding, the forests will put 5 additional 10-person Youth Corps crews to work removing dead hazard trees from developed recreation sites and hiking trails thus opening campgrounds, recreation sites and trails which will support Colorado's tourism industry by maintaining outdoor recreational opportunities. Two other Fire Management projects will receive more than $10 million for forest restoration and fuel mitigation in Gilpin and El Paso Counties.
- Colorado will receive $3.58 million in funding for watershed rehabilitation projects to improve water quality, increase water supply, decrease soil erosion, and improve fish and wildlife habitat in rural communities. In fact, in April USDA announced $2.5 million in Recovery Act funds for the Beaver Creek Project, an effort to reduce soil erosion, protect the South Platte River, and enhance wildlife in rural northeastern Colorado.
- On April 1, 2009, benefits increased in Colorado and nationwide for households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Most four-person households will receive an $80 increase in their monthly SNAP benefit as a result of ARRA. Eligibility limits on jobless adults will be suspended in most areas. Additional SNAP benefits in Colorado will total more than $177 million. The state of Colorado also received an additional $1.2 million to help administer the program.
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