Commissioner Miller Awards $500,000 to El Paso County For Infrastructure Improvements (12/15/2015)

AUSTIN - Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has awarded $500,000 to El Paso County for critically needed infrastructure improvements through a Colonia Fund grant award. These grants are federally funded and administered through TDA’s Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) program, which helps create viable communities, suitable living conditions and expanded economic opportunities in rural Texas. El Paso County plans to use these funds to install a water system in the colonia of Wiloughby Road.

“Rural communities work hard to improve local infrastructure and provide a safe place for people to live, work and raise their families,” Commissioner Miller said. “Through Texas Community Development Block Grants, we can support our neighbors as they implement these critically needed public works projects. Together, the Texas Department of Agriculture and communities across the state are ensuring a bright future for rural Texas.”

In 2015, TDA awarded more than $5 million in Colonia Fund grant awards to communities throughout Texas.

“This is great news for families in a quickly developing area in rural El Paso County,” Sen. Jose Rodriguez said. “This is part of a larger project to bring water, sewer and other utilities to neighborhoods in Canutillo that were allowed to develop without the infrastructure most of us take for granted. Government plays an important role in ensuring development standards, and unfortunately, when that doesn’t happen, we have to play catch up, as is the case here. I’m grateful to the leadership of the Texas Department of Agriculture, the El Paso Water Utilities and the community members of Border Interfaith and El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring Organization for working to make this project happen.”

“This grant will greatly benefit segments of our community that have been without needed infrastructure for far too long,” Rep. Joe Moody said. “We’rethankful for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s investment in El Paso and the opportunity to improve the lives of hardworking Texas families.”