WASHINGTON, DC – As a member of the Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Gary Peters secured federal funding for communities across Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula in bipartisan legislation recently signed into law. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides new, full year funding for the federal agencies and programs covered by the bill, including funding for local projects that will strengthen public safety. Peters helped craft and advance this bipartisan bill out of the Appropriations Committee. 

The bill includes resources for high-impact, local public projects in Michigan, including:  

• New Aerial Ladder Truck for Escanaba: The bill would provide $700,000 for the Escanaba Public Safety Department to replace an aerial ladder fire truck essential to providing safe and efficient emergency and fire services for the community. 

• New Plow Truck for Village of Ontonagon: The bill includes $169,000 for the village of Ontonagon to purchase a new plow truck, which will help keep streets and alleyways clear of snow and ice for the safety of both residents and visitors to the nearby Porcupine Mountains State Park.