HARRISBURG – Sen. Joe Pittman (R-41), Rep. Jill Cooper (R-55) and Rep. Leslie Rossi (R-59) announced more than $2.1 million in public infrastructure grants from Local Share Account (LSA) funds and $1 million in Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program (PSFIG) dollars have been awarded for projects in Westmoreland County.
“Thanks to the collective effort of local and state leaders, our communities will soon be receiving substantial investments for needed infrastructure improvements,” Pittman said. “Infrastructure projects of any size can be expensive for municipalities. I’m pleased to have worked to ensure this state support will assist with vital improvements to protect health, safety and education access within our region.”
“Support from this grant system goes a long way in making certain that local governments have the resources they need to provide important services without passing high bills on to residents and taxpayers,” said Cooper. “Without these grants, municipalities would face either raising rates and taxes, or simply having to put projects on hold.”
“Investing in these projects is crucial for Westmoreland County’s growth and resilience,” said Rossi. “They not only enhance our infrastructure but also create jobs and improve the quality of life for our residents. These grants are a testament to our commitment to building a stronger, more vibrant community.”
The grants were approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) at the October 22 meeting in Harrisburg.
Eight projects within the county received LSA funding:
- $472,205, awarded to Derry Township to rehabilitate the stormwater infrastructure along Alexandria Street in the village of Bradenville.
- $350,000 for Fairfield Township to make upgrades to the Fairfield Township Volunteer Fire Company station.
- $300,000 for the Derry Borough Municipal Authority to pave various Derry Borough streets that had previously been dug up and temporarily patched.
- $299,668 for Lower Burrell City to install sanitary sewer lines in the Kinloch area of the city to help eliminate excess water within that area’s sewer system and prevent system backups and overflows.
- $226,328 for New Alexandria Borough to resurface Gay Street, Center Alley, Summit Lane, George Street and Kier Street within the borough.
- $185,349 for Loyalhanna Township to purchase a new tractor with a mowing deck to replace the current mower which is 20 years old.
- $172,509 for Ligonier Township to replace one of their dump trucks which has been out of commission for the past 17 months.
- $99,531 for Oklahoma Borough to pave the parking lot at Oklahoma Borough Park.
Local Share Account funds are generated by the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 71 of 2004), which provides for distributing gaming revenues through the CFA to support projects in the public interest within Pennsylvania.
As for the PSFIG funding, Ligonier Valley School District was awarded $1 million to improve the HVAC system at Ligonier Valley High School.
PSFIG funding is allocated within the Pennsylvania General Fund budget and awarded to public school districts and area career and technical schools for various facility improvement projects.
The Commonwealth Financing Authority was established in 2004 as an independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development to administer Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages.
Media Contacts:
Kate Eckhart Flessner (Sen. Pittman)
Jordan Frei (Rep. Cooper)
Rick Leiner (Rep. Rossi)