News Update from Upper Savannah Council of Governments

4 USCOG Region Counties, Municipalities Eligible for New Rural Grant Program

Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and McCormick counties and their municipalities are eligible to apply for funding in the new Growing Rural Communities Grant Program.

Recently launched by the S.C. Department of Commerce (SCDOC), the program is designed to support community growth and prosperity by providing funding for programs that enhance economic development, improve infrastructure, and promote quality of life in rural areas.

Eligible recipients are units of local government in Tier III and Tier IV counties in South Carolina. Primary focus will be on counties that were not eligible for funding through the Rural Initiative Grant program.

These counties include Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and McCormick in the Upper Savannah Region as well as Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Darlington, Horry, Sumter and Union.

The grant funds can be used for a variety of purposes including but not limited to infrastructure improvements, workforce development initiatives, business development and retention programs, and quality of life enhancements.

Projects must lead to community development and can include industrial product development and community revitalization. Only non-business development projects are eligible.

“We have had several towns ask about sidewalks,” SCDOC Rural Development Manager Fearn Gupton said. “It (the funding) could be used to fund a study. It could be used for design work. It can also be used as a match for other funding outside of CDBG (Community Development Block Grant).”

The grant cannot be a match for CDBG, but CDBG can be a match for the grant. So if funding has already been secured from CDBG, and the applicant wants to expand on the project then the Rural Communities Grant funding could be used, according to Gupton.

A community project identification process must be completed prior to grant approval.

Grant values are determined by County designation. Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and McCormick all are Tier III.

Tier IV – $250,000 maximum with 10 percent match required.*

Tier III – $200,000 maximum with 10 percent match required.*

Maximum grant and match requirements may be adjusted for economically significant projects.

Grants will be approved by a four-member committee within SCDOC.

For more information regarding the Growing Rural Communities Grant Program, contact Peggy McLean at pmclean@SCcommerce.com or call 803-413-6774.

Upper Savannah AAA Hosting Basics of Long-Term Care Workshop April 18

Is your family prepared to find long-term care for a loved one? Do you know your options? The Upper Savannah Area Agency on Aging will host the Basics of Long-Term Care workshop Tuesday, April 18.

The workshop is free and will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Greenwood Genetic Center J.C. Self Research Institute’s Curry Auditorium, 117 Gregor Mendel Circle in Greenwood.

The workshop will encourage planning for your future needs. What is long-term care? Who pays for it? How do I plan for it?

Speakers will include Vanessa Wideman, former Upper Savannah Area Agency on Aging Director; Rosalind Burke, Greenwood County Veterans Center; Jan Nabors, Department of Health and Human Services; Leigh Anne Workman, Hospice of the Piedmont; and Beth Des Jardins, S.C. Legal Services.

Registration is not required but is encouraged. To register or for more information, call Langley Richardson at 864-941-8069. Her email address is lrichardson@uppersavannah.com.

USCOG Hosts Clerks for Informal Lunch Meeting; Common Topics Discussed


Upper Savannah COG hosted around a dozen town, city and county clerks this week, giving them an opportunity to discuss common topics which they face in their communities.

One topic was HEAL (healthy eating, active living) mini grants of up to $5,000 to help communities increase access to healthy choices and address health through technical assistance.

The Town of Ridge Spring successfully applied for a mini grant recently, acquiring new playground equipment for the Town Park and a bicycle rack.

The Promised Land community in Greenwood County also acquired a grant for picnic tables and benches at their walking trail.

The grant opportunities are offered by Wholespire, in collaboration with the S.C. Office of Rural Health. The grant application deadline is July 21, 2023.

“They have been very easy to work with,” Town of Ridge Spring clerk/treasurer Summer Brown said of Wholespire.

USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green led the group discussion during an informal lunch Tuesday. He told the clerks that money is available to fund environmental assessments of brownfields sites, enabling for the possible redevelopment of properties that might have contaminants such as asbestos, lead-based paint, oil or other chemicals.

A brownfields site is a former industrial or commercial site where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination.

The site of environmental testing must be owned by a city, town or county, or be supported by a municipality for possible redevelopment.

Green also asked the clerks to support the state’s efforts to survey residents about their home internet access capabilities. The online survey can be accessed at cx.ravencsi.com/aK8qm via cell phone or computer.

The purpose of the survey is to locate underserved areas that lack reliable high-speed internet so the state can address the shortcomings with federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). But the state wants as many residents as possible to take the survey, whether their internet service is great, shaky or non-existent.

Other topics discussed by the clerks include reporting on the spending of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, law enforcement shortages, population growth in some areas of the region, and preparing for the FY 2023-24 budget and 2024 elections.

At the present time, USCOG is hosting clerk lunch meetings twice per year and also hosts public administrators and other officials at various times. Contact Rick Green at 864 941-8072 or rgreen@uppersavannah.com for more information.

COG Requesting Citizens of the Region Complete Important Broadband Survey

The Upper Savannah Council of Governments is continuing its push to get citizens of the Region to participate in the GetConnectedSC broadband survey to help South Carolina build better overall network access.

The internet access capabilities survey is located at https://cx.ravencsi.com/aK8qm or by pointing your phone camera at the QR Code to the right.

It only takes a few minutes to fill out and everyone in your home is eligible to complete the survey.

The purpose of the survey is to identify who has fast internet, slow internet or no internet access in their homes. The survey results can help determine which areas of the region are underserved with reliable high-speed internet access.

“Elected officials, administrators and other community leaders who are aware of citizens in their jurisdictions who do not have internet access in their homes can get them to call me to help them fill out the surveys over the phone,” USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green said. “We need to hear from citizens who lack adequate internet.”

Green can be reached at (864) 941-8072 or rgreen@uppersavannah.com.

The GetConnectedSC campaign is designed to identify the areas of greatest need in our state, invest in broadband infrastructure to those areas and provide support services to make that transformation possible for every home, business and community organization in South Carolina.

The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to improve broadband access. In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which included $65 billion for the deployment of broadband infrastructure development and digital inclusion efforts across the country.

USCOG February 2023 County-Specific Activities Report

The USCOG provides a wide scope of services and performs many functions. We have developed this new activities report as a way to highlight this information and to regularly communicate our general activities in your county with you. Download the February 2023 report here.

 

News Update from Upper Savannah Council of Governments

Funding to Become Available for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Communities

The Biden-Harris Administration has opened applications for a new multi-billion-dollar program to fund electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure in communities across the country and along designated highways, interstates, and major roadways.

This is a key step towards the President’s goals of building a national network of 500,000 public EV charging stations and reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 50–52 percent by 2030.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide $2.5 billion over five years to a wide range of applicants, including cities, counties, and local governments.

This round of funding makes up to $700 million from fiscal years 2022 and 2023 funding available to strategically deploy EV charging and other alternative vehicle-fueling infrastructure projects in publicly accessible locations in urban and rural communities, as well as along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs).

“Extending EV charging infrastructure into traditionally underserved areas will ensure that equitable and widespread EV adoption takes hold,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Ensuring that charging stations are more visible and accessible in our communities addresses the concerns many American drivers have when considering making the switch to electric.”

A priority of the CFI Program is bringing EV charging into urban and rural communities, downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities, as well as to designated alternative fuel corridors.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law divides the CFI Program into two distinct grant funding categories, and requires that 50 percent of the funding over five years is made available for each:

The Community Program will provide $1.25 billion to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure, and hydrogen, propane, or natural gas fueling infrastructure in communities. Infrastructure may be located on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations such as parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities owned or managed by a private entity.

The Corridor Program will provide $1.25 billion to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors (AFCs).

Eligible applicants and projects for both categories are outlined in a Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applications are due by May 30, 2023.

FHWA and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation plan to conduct outreach to potential grant applicants regarding the CFI Program via webinars throughout March and April and will provide direct technical assistance. Information on upcoming webinars can be viewed here. Visit DriveElectric.gov to access technical assistance from the Joint Office.

USCOG Encouraging Citizens of the Region to Complete Internet Access Surveys

The Upper Savannah Council of Governments is encouraging participation in the GetConnectedSC campaign to deliver reliable, high-speed internet access across the State.

Part of the campaign’s efforts are to get citizens from the Upper Savannah region and across the state to complete a survey about their internet access capabilities at https://cx.ravencsi.com/aK8qm.

The purpose of the survey is to identify who has fast internet, slow internet or no internet access. The survey results can help determine which areas of the region are underserved with reliable high-speed internet access.

“Elected officials, administrators and other community leaders who are aware of citizens in their jurisdictions who do not have internet access can get them to call me to help them fill out the surveys over the phone,” USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green said. “We need to hear from citizens who lack adequate internet.”

Green can be reached at (864) 941-8072 or rgreen@uppersavannah.com.

The GetConnectedSC campaign is designed to identify the areas of greatest need in our state, invest in broadband infrastructure to those areas and provide support services to make that transformation possible for every home, business and community organization in South Carolina.

The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to improve broadband access. In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which included $65 billion for the deployment of broadband infrastructure development and digital inclusion efforts across the country.

As a required first step in the deployment of these funds, South Carolina was granted planning funds for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Equity (DE) programs which ultimately lead to additional grants.

The BEAD and DE planning processes which include collecting internet access surveys extend through the summer of 2023 and culminate with the submission of the SC Five-Year Broadband and Digital Equity Plans to the federal government in August.

Once the South Carolina Five-Year plans have been approved, a minimum of $100 million additional federal funds for the BEAD program and tens of millions for the DE program will be made available to South Carolina to continue investment in broadband infrastructure and adoption statewide.

Upper Savannah COG Board of Directors Honors Three Outgoing Long-Serving Members

The Upper Savannah Council of Governments Board of Directors honored three outgoing long-serving members at the most recent meeting Feb. 27.

“It’s always very hard to say goodbye to Board members because you all contribute so much to this organization,” USCOG Executive Director Patricia C. Hartung told the Board. “Your service to this Board is very greatly appreciated.”

Shirley Jenkins, Rep. Anne Parks, Edith Childs, Buddy Agan, Amelia Herlong and Melissa Spencer have left the Board.

Hartung and Board Chairman Albert Talbert handed plaques of “grateful recognition for dedicated service and personal contributions” to Jenkins, Childs and Parks.

Jenkins recently retired from Clinton City Council and had served on the USCOG Board since 2003.
“I am going to miss this Board and I’m going to miss the City of Clinton Council,” Jenkins said. “I made a lot of friends on this Board over the years. I wish you all well. I know that God is with us and will continue to be with us.”

Childs recently retired from Greenwood County Council and had served on the Board since 2009.
“Thank you so much for all that you do for the counties,” Childs told members of the Board. “Thank you for letting me serve on the Board.”

Parks had served on the Board since 2005.

“I want to thank you for allowing me to serve with Upper Savannah all these years,” Parks said. “You all do a wonderful job.”

Agan, Herlong and Spencer were not present at the Feb. 27 meeting. Herlong and Spencer had served since 2019. Agan had been with the Board since 2018.

From left to right, Shirley Jenkins (right) with Board Chairman Albert Talbert and USCOG Executive Director Patricia Hartung; middle photo, Edith Childs with Albert Talbert; right photo, Rep. Anne Parks with Albert Talbert.

News Update from Upper Savannah Council of Governments

Funding Available for Environmental Assessments of Brownfields Sites for Possible Redevelopment

Money is available to fund environmental assessments of brownfields sites across South Carolina, enabling for the possible redevelopment of properties that might have contaminants such as asbestos, lead-based paint, oil or other chemicals.

The Catawba Regional Council of Governments (CRCOG) has received a $1 million sub grant from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control for the implementation of the S.C. Brownfields Environmental Site Testing (BEST) Program.

CRCOG has allocated funding to the 10 Councils of Government regions in the state, with the Upper Savannah Region of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Saluda counties receiving a total of $73,446 to use for projects over a two-year period ending September 2024.

A brownfields site is a former industrial or commercial site where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination.

“The goal of the grant program is we are going to do assessment work on these brownfields properties that are hindered by asbestos, lead-based paint or anything that has some kind of contaminating presence that is hindering the redevelopment and reuse of those properties,” Tyler Lewis of Catawba COG told a group of administrators who attended a lunch meeting at Upper Savannah COG on Feb. 23.

The site of environmental testing must be owned by a city, town or county, or be supported by a municipality for possible redevelopment. A private entity may apply for funding if supported by their municipality or county.

“We will require a letter of support from the administrator or council chair to say, ‘we are on board with this project. We believe it will better our community.’ We don’t want to fund anything that you guys (administrators) may not want to happen,” Lewis said.

Examples of sites that might be redeveloped after environmental testing for contaminants include old gas stations, automobile repair shops, car dealerships, textile mills, etc.

The BEST Program includes Phase I environmental site assessment (average $3,000 – $3,600), phase II environmental site assessment (average $18,000 – $36,000) and analysis of brownfields cleanup alternatives (average $5,500 – $7,500).

Each COG shall determine which projects receive funding in their respective regions based on the following criteria; 1, potential economic redevelopment opportunities (tax revenues/job creation/capital investment potential after cleanup); 2, potential to identify and eliminate environmental hazards (reduction of potential imminent public health risk); 3, potential to redevelop a property for public benefit/use (i.e. park/recreation space); 4, potential to eliminate slum and blight in a community; and 5, potential benefit to low-moderate income and/or rural communities.

Site assessments are capped at $50,000 and a locality cannot have more than five assessments funded by the BEST program. Also, a single locality cannot utilize more than 50 percent of the region’s allocation.

For more information about the program, contact USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green at (864) 941-8072 or at rgreen@uppersavannah.com.

News Update from Upper Savannah Council of Governments

USCOG January 2023 County-Specific Activities Report

The USCOG provides a wide scope of services and performs many functions. We have developed this new activities report as a way to highlight this information and to regularly communicate our general activities in your county with you. Download the January 2023 report here.