By STAFF REPORT - KINGSPORT TIMES NEWS
Published June 14, 2005

http://www.timesnews.net/archives/index3.php?id=9463413

DUFFIELD - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency, in a grant to the Mountain Empire Regional Business Incubator, is providing $48,000 in federal funding to the Lenowisco Planning District Commission to enable the provision of technical assistance to Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the city of Norton, U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher announced Tuesday.

"The federal funding will be used by the Lenowisco Planning District Commission to enable the expansion of the water and wastewater infrastructure of Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the city of Norton by providing assistance to the local governments in identifying and obtaining federal, state and private grant and loan funds for new infrastructure project development," Boucher said.

The funding will provide the local governments of Lee, Scott and Wise counties and Norton with the administrative and technical expertise necessary to identify new water and wastewater projects for the region and to assist them in obtaining the funding resources necessary for those projects.

The Lenowisco Planning District Commission will provide assistance to the local governments in compiling grant and loan applications for new water and wastewater projects and, in addition, will assist the local governments in identifying potential problem areas in the existing water and sewer infrastructure that may require rehabilitation or upgrades.

"Lenowisco provides an outstanding service to the residents of our region by offering technical assistance to the governments of Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the city of Norton, particularly in developing strategies for expanding the water and sewer infrastructure. I am pleased that the Rural Development Agency has agreed to my request in providing this federal funding to the Mountain Empire Regional Business Incubator to enable the Lenowisco Planning District Commission to perform this valuable work," Boucher concluded.