U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Secures Over $4 Million in USDA Rural Development Funding to Overhaul Brokaw Water System

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today announced over $4 million in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development funding to help improve the water system in Brokaw, Wisconsin. Senator Baldwin helped secured the funding by urging the USDA to make the investment in a letter in April.

USDA Rural Development will provide $2,892,000 in grant funding and a $1,173,000 loan to the Village of Maine to make needed improvements to the existing Brokaw water system.

“I’m pleased to announce a much needed investment to improve the drinking water quality in Brokaw and Maine,” said Senator Baldwin. “This investment will help Brokaw continue recovering and rebuilding, while providing the clean water that our rural communities deserve. Together, we will build a stronger future for Brokaw.”

“The Village of Maine would like to thank Senator Baldwin for her assistance in obtaining USDA Rural Development funding,” said Betty Hoenisch, Village of Maine President and Cooperative Boundary Agreement Oversight Commission Chairperson. “The loan and grant will give the Village of Maine and the Cooperative Boundary Agreement members the ability to help their neighbor, the Village of Brokaw, obtain water that is of excellent quality and is cost effective. This opportunity has resulted in a wonderful team effort focused on resolving the issues being faced by the Cooperative Boundary Agreement partners. All parties involved have gone above and beyond, and worked out-of-the-box to come up with a solution to this unique, history-making situation.”

Brokaw, Wisconsin and its residents have faced financial hardships after the actions of an out-of-state activist hedge fund led to the closure of a paper mill that had provided good jobs to the town for over 100 years. The USDA Rural Development funding will improve the water system in Brokaw and Maine, which has faced water quality, efficiency and freezing issues since the mill closing.

Senator Baldwin has previously introduced legislation named after Brokaw to strengthen oversight of activist hedge funds following the Wausau Paper mill closing. Senator Baldwin plans to announce reintroduction of the Brokaw Act this week.

“I am continuing my fight for reforms that ensure that no other small towns in America like Brokaw fall victim to activist hedge funds on Wall Street,” Senator Baldwin said.