The City of Port Huron and St. Clair County will be getting big checks from the federal American Rescue Plan. Port Huron has been allocated $17,959,874 and St. Clair County is receiving $30,908,749 total with first payments being distributed this week.
The money is for mitigating the effects of the pandemic and the shutdowns. It is to be used to bring back lost jobs, provide premium pay to essential workers, make up for lost revenue, and invest in infrastructure.
The race is on to identify projects and obligate funds by the 2024 deadline. The spending rules are enforced by the U.S. Treasury with fund distributed through the state treasury.
State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “Local units of government should take their time to plan to use these dollars in a viable and sustainable manner that will have a lasting impact. The Michigan Department of Treasury continues to be a resource for helping local officials navigate through the ARPA process.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the money “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
