Gov. DeSantis awarded millions of dollars to rural communities across the state. Green Cove Springs is among them

ARCADIA, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded on Thursday millions of dollars to more than a dozen rural communities across the state.

During a news conference in Arcadia, the governor highlighted the importance of investing in rural communities and announced the awards to the rural communities as part of the Community Development Block Grant Program, which has already awarded more than $138 million in funds to more than 120 small cities and rural communities across the state.

“We’ve made investing in our rural communities a priority, because I think ultimately, it’s an important foundation for the state, not just economically, but culturally and historically as well,” DeSantis said.

Here’s a list of communities that received an award on Thursday:

• City of Arcadia: $6.4 million to upgrade the biosolids processing system at the William Tyson wastewater treatment plant.
• Florida City: $5.9 million to make wastewater treatment plant improvements across nine service areas.
• City of Live Oak: $4.5 million to rehabilitate low-income homes and upgrade the city’s potable water system
• City of Webster: $2.8 million to install a new master lift station and emergency generator
• City of Lake Butler: $2.8 million to replace water lines throughout the city
• City of Port St. Joe: $1.7 million to make sidewalk, landscaping, irrigation, and underground utility improvements
• City of Green Cove Springs: $1.2 million to install stormwater piping, swales, and other improvements
• City of Blountstown: $1 million to replace aging and unreliable water and sewer lines
• Liberty County: $1 million to complete improvements at Veterans Memorial Park
• Santa Rosa County: $1 million to construct a retention pond at the Whiting Aviation Park
• Town of Esto: $1 million to complete improvements to the water plant and conduct water line replacement

The following awards were made for housing missions:

• Hamilton County: $1.5 million
• Lafayette County: $1.5 million
• Columbia County: $1.2 million
• Madison County: $950,000
• Hendry County: $900,000
• St. Lucie County: $850,000
• Levy County: $750,000
• Town of Malone: $912,000