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THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION: A 7-YEAR RECORD OF
PROMOTING GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE DELTA REGION
May 10, 2000
Since taking office, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have been
committed to tapping the potential of the Mississippi Delta region.
Even before 1993, as Governor of Arkansas, the President led the Lower
Mississippi Delta Development Commission in its efforts to bring social
and economic prosperity to a region which has historically been left
behind. The President and Vice President have targeted resources and
investments and worked with states, localities, and the private sector
to bring capital, jobs, and opportunity to the Delta region. The
following are highlights of the Clinton-Gore Administration's 7-year
record of working to revitalize Delta communities:
Providing Infrastructure Improvements to Promote Growth. Investments in
infrastructure are critical to economic growth and the quality of life
in the Delta region. The Clinton-Gore Administration has made investing
in infrastructure a priority in its efforts to bring economic
development to the region.
Improving Highways. The Federal Highway Administration has worked
closely with state governments to ensure a safe and efficient
transportation infrastructure within the Delta region. Federal funding
has contributed to numerous improvements in highways, roads, and other
infrastructure. For example, over the last decade, Arkansas has
received approximately $140 million to complete 120 miles of highway
reconstruction, surfacing, widening and other projects in Delta
counties. Many more projects are underway, including strengthening and
retrofitting the Interstate 40-Mississipi River Bridge, reducing
congestion on the heavily traveled Interstate 55 in Memphis, and
widening many arterial highways in the rural parishes of the Delta
region.
Maintaining Airport Quality and Safety. The Federal Aviation
Administration has provided over $411 million in financial assistance to
81 airports in the Delta region from 1993 to 1999, helping to construct,
develop and maintain the region's airports. Funding is used for
projects which enhance the safety and quality of the airports and their
surroundings, including improving runways and taxiways, remodeling
terminals, and acquiring land for noise compatibility.
Improving Water Quality Projects. The Clean Water State Revolving
Fund supports low-interest loans to help communities build and upgrade
sewage treatment plants and other wastewater systems. Since 1994, the
Fund has provided over $1.1 billion in low-cost financing to the seven
Delta states for a range of water quality infrastructure projects.
Providing Telephone Service. USDA's Rural Utilities Service has
provided first-time telephone service to over 8,200 rural residents of
the Delta region. In addition, approximately $154 million in RUS
funding has brought improved telecommunications to more than 77,000
Delta residents.
Expanding Health Care Access and Education. In addition to funding
traditional infrastructure projects, the Rural Utilities Service's
Distance Learning and Telemedicine program provided $9.8 million in
grants and loans to 800,000 Delta residents for improvements in access
to health care and educational opportunities in the health care field.
Preserving the Mississippi River's Culture and History. In 1998,
President Clinton designated the Lower Mississippi River as an American
Heritage River to help restore and protect the environmental, economic,
cultural, and historic values of the river. A "river navigator" is
appointed to help Mississippi river communities identify federal
programs and resources that can assist them in implementing their
restoration plans.
Investing in Economic Development for the Delta's Future. Through
providing access to capital, job training, and small business
assistance, the Clinton-Gore Administration has invested in the
long-term economic development and prosperity of the Delta region.
Establishing Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. In 1994,
under Vice President Gore's leadership, the Administration announced the
creation of five urban and eight rural EZs and ECs in the Delta region,
accounting for nearly one-fourth of all rural EZ/ECs announced that
year. The success of the program led to another EZ being added in 1999.
EZ/ECs help spur economic growth through sustainable development, local
leadership, long-range planning, and community-based partnerships. From
1994 to the beginning of 1999, the Delta's rural communities drew over
$10.2 million from their EZ/EC funding, and used it to leverage $107.4
million -- 0 times as much -- from state, local, business, and nonprofit
sources.
Stimulating Economic Development. The Economic Development
Administration works with local governments and community groups in the
Delta region to generate new jobs, help retain existing jobs, and
stimulate industrial and commercial growth. Since the beginning of the
Administration, the Delta region has received over $47 million in EDA
Title IX funds for projects like the Technology Economic Development
Center in Madisonville, KY, a community facility offering distance
learning, job training and employment services to dislocated workers and
others.
Encouraging Community Development. Community Development Block
Grants are competitively awarded to cities, counties, and states to
revitalize neighborhoods, expand affordable housing and economic
opportunities, and improve community facilities and services, primarily
to benefit low- and moderate-income persons. From 1993 to 1999, the
Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided $944 million in
Community Development Block Grants to support rural housing and economic
development in the Delta region.
Supporting Rural Business. Under USDA Rural Development's Community
Facilities, Rural Business, and Water & Wastewater programs, the
219-county Delta region has received approximately $961 million in
funding since 1993. These funds are used for rural development projects
like establishing community resource centers, constructing or upgrading
water distribution systems; and providing loan guarantees to local
businesses.
Strengthening Delta Families and Delta Communities. Some of the most
vital investments are those made in the people and communities of the
Delta -- improving access to technology, affordable housing, and clean
water are just a few of the Administration's efforts to improve the
quality of life for Delta residents.
Targeting Education Funds. Federal education funds targeted to the
Delta's high-poverty school districts have helped give students access
to computers and the Internet. The Department of Education allocated
over $350 million in fiscal year 1998 alone to high-poverty school
districts in the Delta. Under the Vice President's leadership, the
Clinton-Gore Administration created the E-rate program, which secures
low-cost Internet connections for schools, libraries, rural health
clinics and hospitals, benefiting more than 80 percent of America's
public schools. Between January 1998 and June 1999, the seven Delta
states received over $256 million in E-rate funding. And under
President Clinton's Class Size Reduction Initiative, the Department of
Education provided more than $50 million to the Delta region last year
to hire approximately 1,500 new teachers to reduce class size in the
early grades.
Helping Families Buy or Rent Homes. USDA has provided $2.2 billion
in loans under its Single-Family Housing Loan Program to 43,000 Delta
households to buy or improve their homes. For rental housing, USDA
provided more than $254 million in low-interest loans on more than
10,000 rental units in rural areas of the Delta.
Supporting Affordable Housing. Since President Clinton took office,
the Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided $260
million to the Delta region through the HOME Program, which helps state
and local governments produce standard affordable housing for low- and
very low-income families.
Providing Opportunity and Training Workers. The Clinton-Gore
Administration has provided significant resources to increase training
for dislocated workers, families on welfare, and disadvantaged youth.
Since 1993, the Administration has provided the seven Delta states with
$6.1 billion for Job Training Partnerships, $267.8 million for
Welfare-to-Work grants, $27.4 million for the Youth Opportunity program,
and $239 million in Job Corps to provide training for disadvantaged
youth.
Accelerating Brownfields Clean-Up. The Clinton-Gore Administration
has worked to accelerate the cleanup of brownfields -- abandoned,
contaminated urban properties that face barriers to redevelopment.
Since 1994, the EPA has steered more than $1.5 million to the Delta
region to assess, clean up, and redevelop abandoned brownfields sites,
creating new jobs and a new tax base for dozens of Delta communities.
Helping Communities Provide Clean Drinking Water. The Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund, proposed by President Clinton and enacted in 1996,
supports low-interest loans to help communities build and upgrade their
water treatment systems. Since 1993, the EPA has provided the Delta
region with $39.1 million through the Fund.
Reducing Water Pollution. Clean Water Act Section 106 grants are a
primary source of funding for the prevention, reduction, and elimination
of surface and groundwater pollution from point and nonpoint sources,
and for improving the health of the nation's waters. The seven Delta
states have received $72.7 million in Section 106 grants since 1994.
Controlling Polluted Runoff. Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source grants
are provided to states for a variety of projects to control polluted
runoff, including streambank restoration, wetlands protection, and
education. Over $138 million in Nonpoint Source grants have been
awarded since 1994 to the seven Delta states.