LANSING, Mich. - State Representative Dudley Spade (D-Tipton) today announced that The City of Hudson will be receiving a $359,350 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help pay for a project to separate the city's sanitary and storm sewers. The city has recently had problems with sewer failures because sanitary and storm drains are undersized and partially interconnected.
"This is a serious problem that Hudson has needed to take care of for some time," Representative Spade said. "This money will go long way to helping the city address the needs of its citizens and protect the integrity of its existing sewer system."
The state grant will cover 64% of the total cost of the project, with the City of Hudson contributing the other $166,456 from their utility and street funds. The money will be used for the separation of the city's sanitary and storm sewer systems and any necessary street repairs that result from the work. This project is one of 40 infrastructure projects in 37 Michigan communities, totaling $15.3 million, approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund Board under the CDBG Infrastructure Capacity Enhancement (ICE) Program.
The ICE Program benefits small cities, villages, and townships where at least 51 percent of the population is composed of low- and moderate-income residents as defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CDBG ICE funds are designed to assist communities make necessary improvements to their existing public infrastructure system.
Activities eligible for funding in the Fall 2006 competitive round include projects that upgrade existing public infrastructure systems either by replacing deteriorating or obsolete systems or by adding needed capacity to existing, but burdened systems. Eligible public infrastructure activities include community water lines and related facilities; sanitary and storm sewer lines and related facilities; wastewater treatment plants and related activities; and road replacement activities related to the above activities.
The grant recipients were selected on their overall eligibility and the impact the project would have on the community. Priority was given to the projects that had completed preliminary engineering/cost estimates and were ready to begin; provided a substantial local match commitment; had a high ratio of all matching funds to the amount of CDBG funds requested; and a low ratio of CDBG funds requested per resident; and benefited the entire community.