Florida Governor Ron Desantis announced earlier this month an additional $167.5 million in awards to improve infrastructure in small and rural communities across the state.
The funding will be provided through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program and the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF). It will go towards projects that restore damaged stormwater systems, repair overwhelmed wastewater treatment facilities, and reinforce numerous services Floridians rely on daily.
The CDBG-DR Infrastructure Repair Program funds projects that help areas impacted by major weather events in 2023 and 2024. This includes Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton, and the 2024 North Florida Tornadoes. The RIF supports infrastructure projects that drive job creation, capital investment, and strengthen economies in Rural Areas of Opportunity, rural communities, and rural counties. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026, the Florida Legislature appropriated $17 million for statewide projects and $5 million for Panhandle-specific projects.
Some of the largest projects receiving funding from the grant programs include:
Taylor County
- $12 million to construct a new parallel treatment train, which will enhance operational resilience and safety during future storms.
- $8.5 million to replace current wastewater infrastructure and install modern equipment–managing capacity, ensuring regulatory compliance and enhancing system resilience during future storms.
- $4.5 million to create a resilient independent water source by restoring capacity and increasing the reliability of Well No. 3 that will directly serve the City of Perry if the main treatment plant or water lines are compromised during a hurricane.
Taylor County Board of County Commissioners
- $4.9 million to construct the Taylor County Special Needs Emergency Shelter
Doctor’s Memorial Hospital
- $4.4 million to install a whole-facility emergency power system, replace hospital phone and communication systems, and modernize the facility’s water treatment system through the CDBG-DR Mitigation Program.
Projects receiving funding from only the CDBG-DR Infrastructure Repair Program include:
Jackson County Board of County Commissioners
- $3.2 million to add a new well, pumping equipment, and water storage system needed to provide emergency services to Jackson County.
Big Ben Water Authority
- $4.5 million to repair and replace critical water mains in Steinhatchee and Jena.
Cedar Key Water and Sewer District
- $7.3 million to construct and harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District potable water system.
- $4.1 million to harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Wastewater Treatment Facility.
City of Gretna
- $7.1 million to rehabilitate and upgrade the city’s production wells, the foundation of the municipal water supply system.
City of Monticello
- $14.1 million to rehabilitate or replace deteriorated lift stations and force mains, install permanent standby generators at critical sites, elevate and harden electrical and mechanical components, and integrate systems monitoring to improve storm response.
City of Port St. Joe
- $25 million to rebuild and strengthen the wastewater treatment facility by upgrading current infrastructure.
Madison County Board of County Commissioners
- $8 million to construct the Madison County Special Needs Shelter at the Madison County Emergency Operations Shelter.
Town of Cross City
- $32 million to build a new wastewater treatment plant and repair the sewer lines in the city.
- $5.7 million to improve and upgrade stormwater drainage by installing elliptical reinforced concrete piping along the streets, further collecting stormwater into the main drainage ditch alongside US Highway 19.
Washington County Board of County Commissioners
- $3.5 million to stabilize and improve Holmes Valley Road, providing critical access to the Old Shores Resort and Golf Club generating approximately 90 new jobs.
Photo by Paul Harrison from Pexels
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