DeSantis awards millions locally through RIF

Staff Reports

Last week, Governor Ron DeSantis announced more than $24 million in awards to sixteen rural communities through the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) program.

     Local communities receiving awards through the RIF program are:

   •Columbia County ($5,000,000) – to create traffic flow and safety improvements in the unincorporated area of Ellisville at the interchange of I-75 and US 41 to create 200 jobs and provide more than $30 million in capital investments.

   •City of Perry ($4,737,809) – to upgrade the City’s Water Treatment Plant furthering the new line providing water availability to a 200-acre commercial/industrial site that is being marketed for growth and development.

   •Baker County ($3,005,671) – to extend the paved road, water, wastewater, and natural gas infrastructure into Enterprise East Industrial Park, where a new manufacturing facility will be operating, creating up to 60 jobs and more than $19 million in capital investment.

• Hamilton County Development Authority ($400,000) – to help facilitate redeveloping an extremely blighted area at the first exit visitors and tourist experience on 1-75 as you enter Florida.

• City of Live Oak ($295,000) – to reevaluate the City’s potable water demands and develop estimates for potable water demand to serve future development around US 129/I-10 interchange the existing water distribution mains along US 129 from south of 72nd Trace to north of I-10 and will result in a water and sewer master plan to ensure that water and sewer infrastructure is adequate to support anticipated private development over a 20-year forecast period.

• City of Live Oak ($285,000) –   to perform engineering evaluations of the existing public infrastructure (water, sewer, and stormwater) to support the proposed redevelopment of Heritage Square.

• Town of Jasper ($200,000) – to address critical water infrastructure needs and provide adequate storage and pumping capacity to support economic development and growth.

Additionally, the Governor announced $5 million in available RIF funding for Hurricane Idalia impacted communities. Applications will be accepted through Monday, February 5, 2024 by 5pm., Eastern Time, and more information is available on their website.

      “We are committed to providing Florida’s rural communities with the resources they need to support long-term economic growth,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These investments will improve infrastructure, attract new businesses and accelerate Florida’s unprecedented growth.”