American Rescue Plan Expected to Bring Approximately $68.56 Million to USCOG Region
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion emergency relief bill, providing approximately $350 billion to states, territories, tribes, counties and municipalities to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency, offset revenue losses, bolster economic recovery and provide premium pay for essential workers.
The Act will provide approximately $42.6 million to the six counties in the Upper Savannah Region and approximately $25,960,000 to the Region’s 24 cities and towns, according to published reports.
The U.S. Department of Treasury is expected to release definitive guidance on how the funds may be spent. However, there is no timeline on when that guidance will be released according to the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC).
MASC strongly recommends cities and towns refrain from spending any funds they receive until that guidance is released. Spending the funds on unauthorized uses could result in a city or town having to repay those funds to the federal government. The same would apply to counties.
Initial estimates have been released. However, they cannot be relied upon as Treasury is still working to finalize the distribution amounts. The Municipal Association recommends not using any of the estimates that are circulating for planning purposes.
Funding will be distributed in two tranches. The first tranche will be distributed within 60 days of enactment of the law, and the second tranche will be distributed 12 months after the first is paid.
The funds may be used to:
- Respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.
- Respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers that are performing such essential work, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work.
- Provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency.
- Make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.
American Rescue Plan Local Allocation Estimates*
| Abbeville County | 4.76 million |
| City of Abbeville | 1.87 million |
| Town of Calhoun Falls | 710,000 |
| Town of Donalds | 120,000 |
| Town of Due West | 450,000 |
| Town of Lowndesville | 40,000 |
| Edgefield County | 5.29 million |
| Town of Edgefield | 1.8 million |
| Town of Johnston | 890,000 |
| Town of Trenton | 70,000 |
| Greenwood County | 13.73 million |
| City of Greenwood | 8.74 million |
| Town of Hodges | 60,000 |
| Town of Ninety Six | 760,000 |
| Town of Troy | 40,000 |
| Town of Ware Shoals | 800,000 |
| Laurens County | 13.09 million |
| City of Clinton | 3.13 million |
| Town of Cross Hill | 190,000 |
| Town of Gray Court | 310,000 |
| City of Laurens | 3.31 million |
| Town of Waterloo | 60,000 |
| McCormick County | 1.84 million |
| Town of McCormick | 880,000 |
| Town of Parksville | 40,000 |
| Town of Plum Branch | 30,000 |
| Saluda County | 3.97 million |
| Town of Ridge Spring | 280,000 |
| Town of Saluda | 1.35 million |
| Town of Ward | 30,000 |
* Allocation Estimates provided by Municipal Association of SC website
