Rural Development 

Pennsylvania

2003 Annual Report

www.rurdev.usda.gov/pa
 Rural Development

Pennsylvania

 

Table of Contents

Message from Secretary Ann M. Veneman 1

Rural Business—Cooperative Service 3

Rural Housing Service 6

Community Facilities 10

Rural Utilities Service 12

Pennsylvania Rural Development Offices 15

Message from State Director Byron E. Ross 2

The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, 

political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited 

bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means of communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 

Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 

DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
 

 USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman

The Bush Administration has made great strides in supporting 

investments in America’s rural communities. From the successful implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill to passage of 

the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, President Bush’s policies 

are helping strengthen the economic health of rural America.

 In 2003, we saw record net cash farm income, which is expected to total $65 million, up 33 percent over 2002, and 

strong exports, which are expected to reach $56.2 billion for 

2003. The demand for farm products is being spurred by the 

President’s tax cuts, low interest rates and inflation and decline in the value of the dollar. Expanding payrolls and declining unemployment in the coming year are expected to further accelerate food demand.

Also fueling this growth are the programs being implemented 

by USDA’s Rural Development. Through USDA’s Rural Development programs, it is estimated that over 510,000 jobs have been created or saved since the 

beginning of the Bush Administration. USDA has invested nearly $2.5 billion for rural business 

development in the form of loans, grants and technical assistance.

We are also working with local communities to build and strengthen economic development 

partnerships with state and local governments. Some $183 million has been invested in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs). This investment is complemented by 

the leveraging of USDA funds to help attract $422 million in other federal investments and 

$739 million in non-federal investments to EZ/ECs and other supported communities.

 To improve economic and community development opportunities in underserved rural areas, 

the Administration has entered into agreements with 20 National Centers of Excellence and 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities to advance business development through improved 

information technologies and entrepreneurial skills training.

Major investments have been made in developing value-added industries, with a focus on promoting renewable energy. Over $35 million has been provided to support the development 

and marketing of renewable energy and the creation of energy efficient systems in rural areas.

 Rural infrastructure, such as education, health care, telecommunications, water treatment and 

community facilities, has been supported by more than $13 billion in grants and loans. More 

than $10.2 billion has been invested in rural housing, much of which supports the President’s 

ambitious goal to increase minority homeownership by 5.5 million by 2010.

As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to ensuring that investments in rural Pennsylvania continue to bring new economic opportunities and an improved quality of life to rural 

families and communities.

1
BYRON E. ROSS

 STATE DIRECTOR

Fiscal Year 2003 saw many changes for 

Pennsylvania USDA Rural Development. 

We’ve restructured our organization to 

better serve the communities and people of rural Pennsylvania. 

We’ve changed from having employees 

specializing in a particular program area 

serving a large territory, to a “onestop-shopping” approach. We were

ambitious in training our employees to 

ensure they acquired a good working 

knowledge of the new program areas 

assigned to them, and I’m proud to say 

that they’ve aggressively taken to the 

task of learning their new duties. What 

this means to rural Pennsylvania is that our employees now specialize in more than one 

program area and cover a smaller geographic territory. Customers needing assistance in 

any of Rural Development’s many programs may now apply for that assistance or receive 

guidance regarding their existing accounts at any of our Local Offices.

We now have four Area Offices, and nine Local Offices with an additional office opening in 

FY 2004. The areas (Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast) are managed by 

Area Directors that ensure the programs are coordinated while the staff works together as 

a team to deliver our services to the communities within the Local Offices’ geographic servicing area. I believe this holistic approach will result in better utilization of Rural Development’s programs in the rural areas of the State. Be sure to review the staffing changes 

and service area map that appear in the next to last and last pages of this report.

Congress and the Administration continue to provide Rural Development with funding for 

new and exciting programs in the areas of energy, broadband, venture capital, and valueadded for agricultural products. These new programs, along with the old, reliable, housing, community, and economic development programs, continue to make rural America a 

better place to live by offering opportunities for high quality health care, education, new 

jobs and homeownership. The Area Directors, Rural Development Managers, and Loan 

Specialists will become much better acquainted with community leaders and become part 

of the inclusive decision-making process within the community by providing program

knowledge and technical assistance. Rural Development has the programs and the ability 

to help build communities from the ground up; and by forming strong relationships with 

community leaders and others in the public (our federal and state partners) and private 

sectors, we can be successful in making rural Pennsylvania a better place to live and work.

In Fiscal Year 2004, we will continue our efforts in implementing the President’s Management Agenda by developing a Strategic Plan for Pennsylvania Rural Development in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and the Food and Agriculture Investment Act of 1996. Our plan will be an extension of the national USDA Rural 

Development strategic plan which measures real outcomes so that Congress, our customers and managers can accurately and meaningfully gauge the effect our programs and assistance have on rural communities throughout Pennsylvania.

Please share our Fiscal Year 2003 Annual Report with friends and community leaders you 

know, so you can help us help them!

 2 
Rural Business -- Cooperative Service (RBS)

USDA Rural Development provided more than $36.8 million in loans and grants to rural Pennsylvania businesses for start up and expansion in Fiscal Year 2003. These businesses created or 

saved more than 3,150 jobs for rural Pennsylvanians - many of them in areas where unemployment rates are higher than the national average. In addition to creating or preserving quality 

jobs, RBS programs promote a clean rural environment. 

The RBS staff works closely with private sector lenders and community-based organizations to 

provide financial assistance and business planning. RBS financial resources were leveraged

through partnerships with federal, state and local agencies and private credit sources to provide 

even greater assistance to rural Pennsylvania businesses.

Business and Industry Loans and Loan Guarantees

In FY 2003, Rural Development provided $32,850,000 in loan note guarantees to 12 businesses in 

rural Pennsylvania. The businesses were varied including agricultural processing, a clothing retail 

operation, manufacturing, and the tool and dye industry. These businesses saved over 1,000 jobs 

and created more than 100 new jobs in rural areas of Pennsylvania.

Specialty Lending and Grant Programs

RBS also administers a number of grant and loan programs aimed at fostering economic development in rural areas. Twenty Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG), totaling almost $2.2 

million, were approved in FY 2003. RBEGs may be used for technical assistance, construction, or 

relending to small and emerging private businesses.

An example is The Carbondale Technology Transfer Center (CTTC) that provides technical support, 

business assistance, financial resources and appropriate facilities to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and manufacturers working with high technology applications or innovative products or

processes in its incubator facility. A $50,000 RBEG allowed CTTC to provide technical assistance 

to tenants and clients guiding them in development of their business, products, and technologies. 

By assisting 10 businesses, 32 jobs were saved and 29 new jobs were created. 

SECO/WARWICK

SECO/WARWICK is a full-service manufacturer of various 

types of furnaces used for melting aluminum and other 

metals. SECO/WARWICK serves a world market with emphasis in the United States, South America, Europe, and 

the Pacific Rim. SECO/WARWICK’s headquarters, engineering officer, and a manufacturing facility are located in 

Meadville, Pennsylvania (Crawford County).

In March 2003, Rural Development approved a $3.2 million loan note guarantee that enabled SECO/WARWICK to 

refinance its existing debt, which improved its current

rates and terms and assisted with cash flow and improved 

debt service coverage. The loan note guarantee assisted 

SECO/WARWICK in retaining 87 jobs and strengthened

the economy of the Meadville area.

3
Rural Business -- Cooperative Service (RBS)

Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) loans finance business facilities and community development projects in rural areas. These loans are made to intermediaries 

involved in economic development. The funds are used to make loans to local businesses. USDA Rural Development made one IRP loan of $750,000 to The Progress 

Fund, a community development financial institution that creates jobs and improves 

communities in rural western Pennsylvania.

One Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) was made, giving $35,000 to the 

Allegheny Ridge Corporation, a private, non-profit corporation that develops, interprets 

and restores the historic, cultural and natural resources of the Allegheny Ridge Heritage 

Area in central/western Pennsylvania. RBOGs are used for planning, technical assistance, and training activities that improve rural economic conditions.

Cooperative Services

Cooperative Development Technical Assistance

The Cooperative Services Program’s mission is to promote understanding and use of the 

cooperative form of business as a viable organizational option for marketing and

distributing agricultural products. Our staff assists cooperative members, directors, 

management, organizations, and others to effectively use cooperatives to improve their 

economic well-being.

Rural Development assisted 8 Pennsylvania cooperative organizations during the fiscal 

year with either technical or financial assistance. The organizations assisted were: 

Food Marketing Cooperative of PA; PA Bio- Diesel Development; PA Cooperative Potato 

Growers, Inc.; Northwest Dairy Marketing Cooperative; PA “Simply Sweet” Onion

Marketing; Alternative Fuels Council; Penns Corner Farm Alliance; and Jackson

Meadows Country Market.,000

Jackson Meadows Country Market: 

Rural Development assisted in the

development of the organizational documents and operating plans for the agricultural and craft producer cooperative. 

Jackson Meadows Country Market held its 

Grand Opening on October 11, 2003.

Rural Development and the Keystone Development Center continue to provide them 

with assistance in the development of

operational policies and board member

training.

4
Rural Business -- Cooperative Service (RBS)

Value Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program (VAPG) 

Authorized as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, the ValueAdded Product Market Development Grants program

provides an opportunity to refine agricultural

commodities and products to increase their value in the 

marketplace. Fiscal Year 2003 VAPD’s were approved by 

the National Office for Boyd Station, LLC of Danville and 

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

(PASA) of Milheim. Boyd Station, LLC received $349,995 

to produce a high-quality soybean meal, oil and hulls

through its extrusion/expulsion technologies that will increase the producer’s value per bushel of soybeans by twenty cents annually. PASA will use 

its $22,775 grant to assess the feasibility of building a regional distribution and marketing 

system for a network of independent pork producers in southeast Pennsylvania.

A check presentation ceremony was held with the recipients. Attending the event were 

USDA Rural Development’s Peter Thomas, Associate Administrator of RBS in Washington

(back row); Byron Ross, PA Rural Development State Director (center front); and representatives of PASA and Boyd Station.

Agricultural Innovation Center Demonstration Grant Program (AIC )

This is a new demonstration program whereby agriculture innovation centers provide technical and other assistance to agricultural producers to help them establish businesses that produce and sell value-added agricultural commodities or products. 

In FY 2003, one Pennsylvania applicant competed nationally and was one of only ten projects to receive AIC funds. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Department 

of Agriculture /Penn State University /PENNTAP) received an AIC Grant of $996,935 that, 

along with $2,135,342 of matching funds, provided funds to operate three Ag Innovation 

Centers in the Commonwealth. The Center will offer a coordinating function with respect to 

value-added agricultural projects. The Keystone Agricultural Innovation Center will be a 

seamless distributed network of technical assistance to agricultural producers. Using several 

regional Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offices, the Center will be coordinated and 

supported by faculty and staff at a central location in Penn State University, and staffed at 

each site with a team of two complementary subject matter experts (an agricultural marketing/business expert, and a community-based agricultural development expert), PDA regional 

staff, and local Penn State Cooperative Extension county educators. 

Community Development

Community Development efforts continue in the Champion Community in Cameron County 

and the two Enterprise Communities located in Lock Haven and Fayette County. 

The Fayette Enterprise Community was issued $249,450 to fund various projects in the community. The projects included $24,934 to the Uniontown Police Department, $6,700 to the 

Junior Achievement of Southwestern PA, $10,000 to the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority and $10,000 to the Habitat of Humanity.

5
Rural Housing Service (RHS)

Multi-Family Housing (MFH)

Rural Development’s Multi-Family Housing programs enable housing developers to build quality 

and affordable rental units for Pennsylvania’s low-income rural residents. The Rental Assistance 

Program assures that qualified applicants pay no more than 30% of their adjusted income for 

housing. 

In FY 2003, Rural Development provided funds to several existing Multi-Family Housing complexes. The Housing Authority of the County of Clarion ($330,000), Furnside Associates in 

Bedford County ($76,820), Parkview Apartments in Jefferson County ($143,800), Taylor Terrace 

Apartments in Lawrence County ($135,100), and Titusville Manor Associates in Crawford

County ($200,000). The complexes used the funds for needed improvements such as: repair 

and/or replacement of walkways, new roofs, and replacement of worn siding and spouting.

Farm Labor Housing

The Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant program provides capital financing for the development of housing for domestic farm laborers. Loans can be made to farmers, associations of 

farmers, family farm corporations, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and 

associations of farm workers.

The Farm Labor Housing loans and grants are provided to buy, build, improve, or repair housing 

for farm laborers and those engaged in on-farm processing. Funds may be used to purchase a 

site or a leasehold interest in a site, to construct housing, day care facilities or community 

rooms, to pay fees to purchase durable household furnishing, and to pay construction loan 

interest.

Housing Preservation Grants

The Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program provides grants to sponsoring organizations for 

the repair or rehabilitation of low- and very-low income housing. The grants are competitive 

and are made available in areas where there is a concentration of need. Two HPG’s were 

obligated in Pennsylvania in FY 2003. The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Wayne 

received $135,279 and the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Monroe received $95,384. 

The grants will be combined with other funds to operate programs that provide low-cost loans 

or grants to very low-income rural homeowners to make essential repairs to their homes.

Edenburg Court (Knox Elderly) 

This 30-unit elderly complex is

located in Clarion County. Rural

Development provided over

$55,000 during a previous fiscal

year to make necessary repairs to 

the walkways, porches, roof, catch 

basins, and replacement of the existing siding, spouting and a retaining wall. The repairs to the project 

were completed in FY 2003.

6
Rural Housing Service (RHS)

Rural Development finances more than housing. We finance homes!

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) works to improve quality of life for rural residents of

Pennsylvania by ensuring that they have access to safe, well built, affordable homes. 

Homeownership promotes economic stability for families, creating equity to finance education, small 

business, or retirement. Homeowners also become neighborhood and community

builders, enhancing the rural communities where they live. RHS promotes community

building in rural Pennsylvania by providing direct and guaranteed loans to low and moderate income 

families. These loans are for the purchase, construction, rehabilitation or relocation of an eligible 

dwelling.

We are proud to say that in FY 2003, Pennsylvania Rural Development provided over $31.2 million 

in direct loans and over $63.1 million in guaranteed loans to families for the purchase or construction of a new home. Additionally, we provided about $1.9 million in repair loans and grants to allow 

rural Pennsylvanian’s to make needed repairs to their existing homes.

Section 502 Home Purchase Program

Our Section 502 Direct Single-Family Housing program provides payment assistance to

qualified borrowers by subsidizing interest as low as one percent. This payment assistance makes 

homeownership affordable for those families with limited household income.

One Family’s Success Story 

June was National Homeownership Month; and to commemorate it, Pennsylvania Rural Development recognized two of its housing partners, Adams County Housing Authority and the Adams 

County Interfaith Housing Corporation at a tree planting ceremony at the newly purchased home of 

it new homeowner.

The homeowner was able to purchase this home with the assistance of the Adams County Housing 

partners, USDA Rural Development, the PA Department of Community and Economic

Development, and HUD. The Adams County Housing Authority made an innovative use of the 

homeowner’s HUD public housing voucher to partially pay her monthly mortgage to Rural

Development. This enabled her to leave public housing and become a homeowner. 

Shown from left are: Laura Pelzer,

HUD; Jackie Parker, PA DCED; the

homeowner family; Byron Ross, Rural

Development State Director; Pamela

Sturgeon Rural Development Housing

Specialist, and Darlene Brown,

Executive Director of Adams County

Housing Authority and Adams County

Interfaith Housing.

7
Rural Housing Service (RHS)

Technical and Supervisory Assistance (TSA) 

Under our Section 523 authorities, USDA Rural Development provides grant funding to

conduct programs of technical and supervisory assistance for low income rural residents to obtain and/or maintain occupancy of adequate housing. In Fiscal Year 2003, USDA Rural Development funded two non-profit organizations:

Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Rural LISC, is a national non-profit organization that provides low interest loans, grants and 

technical and management assistance to Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) working to transform distressed communities into good places to live, work, do business and bring 

up children. Rural Development awarded Rural LISC a $145,000 Technical Supervisory Assistance Grant to provide:

• homeownership training and credit counseling programs in rural areas of 37 

Pennsylvania counties;

• development of a peer-to-peer assistance network; and

• assistance to Partner Community Development Corporations in 

developing approximately 40 affordable ownership homes.

Partner CDCs include: Alliance for Better Housing of Kennett Square; Alliance for Building Better Communities of Allentown; Bedford-Fulton Housing Services of Everett; Fayette County 

Community Action Agency of Uniontown; Housing 

Development Corporation of Lancaster; the NORCAM Group of North Cambria; Rural Opportunities, 

Inc. of Harrisburg; and the Trehab Center of Montrose.)

Pictured are: (front from l to r) Sandy Rosenblith, Senior VP, 

Rural LISC; Byron E. Ross, State Director; Joseph Yarzebinski, 

Program Director, Rural PA Initiative Rural LISC; (back from l 

to r) Lisa Yaffe, Executive Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of 

Housing and Community Revitalization; and Larry Segal, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Housing and Community 

Revitalization.

South Central Assembly for Effective Governance

A $5,000 TSA grant was awarded to the South Central Assembly for Effective Governance (SCAFEG). The funding 

will help to support SCAFEG Predatory Lending Task Force. 

The task force will study the extent and effect of predatory 

lending in four rural Pennsylvania counties and provide training and technical assistance to 

victims of predatory lending.

Pictured are: Craig Zumbrun, Executive Director of SCAFEG, Penny Myers, Chair of the SCAFEG Predatory Lending 

Task Force & VP Community Affairs Officer of Waypoint Bank, USDA Rural Development Area Director George Klaus 

and Housing Specialist Jeremy Wilson.

8
Rural Housing Service (RHS)

Section 504 Home Repair and Rehabilitation Program

Rural Development also offers home improvement and repair loans and grants under the 

Section 504 program to assist very low-income rural homeowners remove health and

safety hazards from their homes and to make them accessible for individuals with disabilities. The interest rate for these loans is fixed at 1% and may be amortized over a period 

of 20 years thereby keeping payments affordable. Grants are available for people 62 years 

old or older who cannot afford to repay a loan.

Section 502 Guaranteed Housing Program

For those families with low to moderate incomes, Rural Development offers the guaranteed 

loan program. There is no down payment requirement, and the participating lender may 

often include closing costs in the mortgage. Lack of a down payment often prevents prospective homebuyers from obtaining a loan from private lenders, so the Rural Development 

guaranteed program increases the number of rural residents able to buy homes.

Awards were presented to the top 4 producing originators for the Guaranteed Housing 

Loan Program for FY 2003. The top 4 originators produced 22.4% of the loan numbers. 

The award recipients were: Brenda Thompson, Jersey Shore National Bank; Larry Hutchinson, Omega Bank; Rick Conner, Express Financial Services; and Alison Swanson, 

Honesdale National Bank. 

Pictured with State Director Ross is Larry Hutchinson and Brenda Thompson.

Fiscal year 2003 saw in excess of 250 originators participating in the program, but a 

handful of those lenders produced a substantial portion of the business. 

During FY 2003 the program provided the opportunity for 740 families, who were unable to 

obtain conventional credit, to purchase their own homes. 

Summary

 During Fiscal Year 2003, 1,485 families were assisted in the purchase, construction, or 

repair of homes. Our Single Family Housing (SFH) programs funded $31,247,100 in direct 

loans, $677,450 in repair loans, $1,209,276 in repair grants and $63,173,060 in guaranteed loans. Through Rural Development’s SFH program assistance, these rural residents 

have decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing.

9
Community Facilities (CF) 

The Community Facilities (CF) program provides loans, grants, and loan guarantees to public 

bodies, not-for-profits, and Indian tribes for health care, public safety, public improvements, 

community support, educational services, and telecommunications. In FY 2003, Rural

Development's CF programs assisted thousands of rural Pennsylvania residents in several 

communities by providing the funding needed for projects like emergency equipment,

assisted living facilities, and a rural library. CF grant funds were also used to fund a parking 

deck in Meadville (Crawford County) and a workforce technology and diversity training center in DuBois (Clearfield County) in cooperation with Penn State University.

USDA Rural Development provided $8,047,050 in Community Facilities assistance to rural 

Pennsylvania in FY 2003. (See chart below.) This assistance included a $900,000 loan 

guarantee to the HAP Senior Care, Inc. These funds will be used for development of an assisted living complex that includes adult day care services.

FY 2003 Community Facility Funding 

County Project Name Loan Amount Grant Amount

Beaver HAP Senior Care 900,000 (guaranteed) -0-

Clearfield DuBois Education 

Foundation 940,000 100,000

Clearfield Penfield Fire 

Company 156,000 84,000

Crawford J.A. Stone Library 100,000 100,000

Crawford Redevelopment 

Authority of Meadville 2,895,000 -0-

Delaware Millbourne Fire 85,000 100,000

Franklin Keystone Rural Health 

Center 585,000 -0-

Lackawanna Crystal Fire Company 126,800 -0-

Luzerne Columbia Hose 

Company #3 150,000 100,000

Schuylkill Polo ob Palo Alto 98,800 53,200

Schuylkill Rush Township 250,000 -0-

Schuylkill East End Fire 

Company #2 83,750 35,000

Washington

Mental Health 

Association of 

Washington County

1,676,000 -0-

Total Obligated $8,047,050 $575,200

10
Community Facilities (CF)

Keystone Community Network

Rural High Speed Internet 

Service

KC Net is a non-profit corporation that 

was formed to provide affordable high 

speed internet service to schools,

health care providers, businesses, and 

individuals in the Lock Haven area of 

Clinton County, PA. Its efforts have

been very successful in providing this 

service in an area that has experienced 

economic woes in recent years.

In late 2001, KC Net faced a crisis

when its leased building was listed for 

sale. The cost of moving all of its lines 

and equipment would have been prohibitive, so it had to move fast. To further complicate matters, the building

needed extensive renovations and was located in a historical district. KC Net signed a short 

term sales agreement and turned to USDA Rural Development for financing. 

To accommodate the short time frame, the agency developed a two-phase application process. 

The purchase was funded on a fast-track application to meet the time frame of its sales 

agreement. The renovations were funded in 2002, after a detailed environmental review and 

plans for the renovations were completed. The renovations were completed and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held in September 2003. Rural Development was very pleased to be able 

to “get creative” and meet the needs of this important community resource.

Assisting our Rural Firefighters

Rural Development provided over $800,000 in

Community Facilities loans and grants to 5 fire

companies during FY 2003.

The funds were used for a variety of purposes,

including a new heavy rescue vehicle, a firehouse, two 

new pumper trucks, and a reconditioned fire truck.

This represents an important federal investment in

rural “first responders” that contribute so much to our 

emergency preparedness.

11
Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

Through its water and wastewater programs, Pennsylvania’s Rural Development was able to

improve the quality of life in many rural communities this past year. Over $42 million in 

loans and grants were provided to serve thousands of people in Pennsylvania with clean drinking water and modern sewer facilities. 

The Significance of the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant 

Programs

In a time when our government is preoccupied 

and distracted with security, war, and other

pressing issues, we must not forget about rudimentary and long-standing issues. Water and 

waste disposal facilities are crucial every place 

where there is a significant human presence. 

They are key factors in maintaining healthy

communities. They help provide for some of our 

basic necessities. We want to drink clean

water; and we want our rivers, lakes, ponds, 

oceans, and surroundings to be untainted. This 

is why the water and waste disposal program is 

so important. 

 The Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal provision helps to obtain and make available the necessary resources to establish water 

and waste disposal facilities compliant with federal and state environmental standards. 

Pennsylvania's Water and Waste Disposal Projects Funded this Year:

Midway Sewerage Groundbreaking

On October 2, 2003, Rural Development held a ground breaking event for Midway Sewerage 

Authority’s new wastewater project. The Authority plans to construct a new wastewater, 

collection, conveyance, pumping and treatment facility to serve over 1,300 users located in 

Midway Borough, Cecil, Mount Pleasant, Robinson and Smith Townships in Washington County. 

Rural Development provided in

total a $8,827,400 loan and a

$5,800,300 grant, and the

Authority contributed $3,482,000.

Pictured: Byron Ross, State

Director presenting a check to

Midway Sewerage Authority

officials. 

12
Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

Other RUS projects funded this fiscal year include:

RUS Projects Funded in Fiscal Year 2003 

County Project Name Loan Amount Grant Amount

Armstrong Shannock Valley General Services Authority 100,000 -0-

Bedford South Woodbury Township 229,200 768,800

Bedford Southern Cove Joint Municipal Authority 202,400 423,400

Berks Centre Township 137,500 112,500

Berks Tulpehocken Township 1,962,300 1,009,000

Columbia Mifflin Township 2,069,600 1,996,100

Fayette Menallen Township Sewer Authority 719,500 -0-

Fayette National Pike Water Authority 496,000 379,800

Fayette Yough Sanitary Authority 3,214,200 4,171,800

Franklin Saint Thomas Township Municipal Authority 368,200 -0-

Luzerne Twin County Joint Municipal Authority 406,200 1,698,900

Mifflin Bratton Township 382,900 140,000

Northumberland Point Township 405,500 545,900

Perry Marysville Borough 348,800 326,200

Pike Matamoras Borough Municipal Authority 4,559,500 3,185,400

Schuylkill Northeastern Schuylkill Joint Municipal Authority 180,500 231,500

Susquehanna Thompson Borough -0- 636,900

Susquehanna Hallstead/Great Bend Joint Municipal Authority 1,086,000 -0-

Venango Sandycreek Township 208,200 190,800

Washington Deemston Borough 368,000 1,040,000

Washington Midway Sewerage Authority 1,339,400 2,843,300

Wyoming Meshoppen Borough 950,000 1,725,000

York Newberry Township Municipal Authority 383,800 -0-

York Felton Borough 408,400 427,900

York Newberry Township Municipal Authority 486,400 -0-

Total $21,012,500 $21,493,200

13
Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grants

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program (DLT) is designed specifically to meet the 

educational and health care needs of rural America. Through loans, grants, and loan and

grant combinations, advanced telecommunications technologies provide enhanced learning

and health care opportunities for rural residents. This fiscal year, Pennsylvania submitted 

eleven applications to the National Office for the DLT Loan/Grant program. Of the 11 submitted, 3 were selected for funding:

Albert Gallatin Area School District received $500,000 to provide interactive distance

learning classrooms, video conferencing and Internet access to state and national

resources for school libraries, computers for classrooms, and computer and video

teleconferencing capabilities for alternative school teachers and students.

Laurel Highlands School District received $500,000 to install video conferencing

equipment, classroom computers with on-line access and obtain the necessary supporting resources in 5 elementary schools and one Junior High School.

Warren County School District received $500,000 which will be used to enhance the education of all the children in the school system.

Other Programs

Environmental Awareness

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) establishes the Federal government’s environmental policies. Its primary goal is to help public officials make decisions that are based on 

an understanding of the environmental consequences of their actions, and to take actions 

that protect, restore and enhance the environment.

To accomplish this, USDA Rural Development requires its applicants and borrowers to consider environmental impacts before taking actions financed by the Agency. The same is true 

for private lenders whose loans are guaranteed by the Agency. Before any Rural Development assistance can be approved, the Agency will assess the environmental impact of the 

proposed action to ensure that steps are taken to avoid or reduce adverse effects.

In carrying out its mandates, USDA Rural Development must ensure compliance with numerous Federal environmental laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. Some of these are: The 

Endangered Species Act, The Safe Drinking Water Act, The Farmland Protection Policy Act, 

The National Historic Preservation Act, Departmental Regulation 9500-3, Land Use Policy and 

Executive Order 11988 Floodplain Management.

Civil Rights

Assuring equal opportunity in employment and program delivery is essential in administering 

USDA Rural Development programs. Each USDA Rural Development employee is responsible 

for ensuring the highest quality of services for all recipients and beneficiaries of our programs. USDA Rural Development is committed to fair and equal treatment to employees and 

customers. 

14
Pennsylvania State Office

Byron E. Ross, State Director

Suite 330, One Credit Union Place

Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996

(717) 237-2299

(717) 237-2261 (Hearing Impaired)

www.rurdev.usda.gov/pa 

Northwest Area Office, Area 1

Robert Schoenfeldt, Area Director

(814) 336-6155, ext. 114 

Crawford Local Office, Area 1

14699 N. Main Street Extension

Meadville, PA 16335-9441

(814) 336-6155

Clinton Local Office, Area 1

216 Spring Run Road, Room 103

Mill Hall, PA 17751-9543

(570) 726-3196, ext. 203

Southwest Area Office, Area 2

Lambert Rosenbaum, Area Director

(724) 482-4800, ext. 116

Butler Local Office, Area 2

625 Evans City Road, Suite 101

Butler, PA 16001-8704

(724) 482-4800, ext. 4

Westmoreland Local Office, Area 2

Donohoe Center, Donohoe Road

R. R. #12, Box 202A

Greensburg, PA 15601-9217

(724) 853-5555

Northeast Area Office, Area 3

Marcella Duld, Area Director

(610) 791-9810, ext. 111

Lehigh Local Office, Area 3

2211 Mack Blvd.

Allentown, PA 18103-5623

(610) 791-9810, ext. 4

Lycoming Local Office, Area 3

542 County Farm Road, Suite 205

Montoursville, PA 17754-9685

(570) 433-3006

Wyoming Local Office, Area 3

One Hollowcrest Complex

Tunkhannock, PA 18657-6632

(570) 836-4157 

Juniata Local Office, Area 4

R. D. #3, Box 301

Mifflintown, PA 17059-9621

(717) 436-8953, ext. 4

York Local Office, Area 4

124 Pleasant Acres Road

York, PA 17402-8988

(717) 755-2966, ext. 4

Southeast Area Office, Area 4

George Klaus, Area Director

(717) 755-2966, ext. 125 

15

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Rural Development

Pennsylvania State Office

Suite 330, One Credit Union Place

Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996