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BISMARCK - USDA Rural Development State Director Tom Campbell recently announced nearly $70 million in rural community investments in North Dakota.
Among projects funded this year include $333,400 to tThe City of Dunseith to remove and replace the boilers and water heaters in the Dunseith Community Nursing Home. The new water heaters and boilers will ensure more reliable hot water, improved safety and higher energy efficiency resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
The Spirit Lake Tribe will use a $1 million grant to fund a commercial, land-based aquaculture facility on the Spirit Lake Reservation. The project supports a tribally-owned Section 17 corporation, Recirculating Aquaculture System Enterprise, classified as a small business in a rural area.
The facility consists of two buildings: an aquaculture building with four large tanks and life-support systems, and a processing building with cold storage and administrative areas. Designed to produce about 40,000 pounds of fish annually, the project is technically and financially validated by a feasibility study. It will create seven new permanent jobs in a county with a higher-than-average unemployment rate.
The City of Rolla will use a $287,500 grant to support the establishment of a Revolving Loan Fund. This fund will be administered by the Rolla Job Development Authority Board and its executive director and treasurer. Funds will be awarded to qualifying applicants who meet the definition of a small and emerging business. Funds will be used to close financing gaps for small rural businesses, support job creation and retention and provide a long-term, sustainable economic development tool.