Keystone Today

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Sept. 2 a second round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds totaling $491,504,064 that will be going to local county and municipal governments.

According to a news release by Wolf’s office, this is the last round of the Local Fiscal Recovery Act. The local governments that received ARPA funding in 2021 through the Local Fiscal Recovery Act will receive the funds the week of Sept. 12 automatically. The funds will be distributed to local governments that aren’t major metropolitan cities or counties called non-entitlement units (NEU).

“Thanks to President Joe Biden, local governments across Pennsylvania are receiving a second round of ARPA funding to help plan for the future needs of their communities,” Wolf said. “The U.S. Treasury has expanded the uses of this funding, which allow additional expenditures such as affordable housing development options, public sector hiring, and eligible water, sewer and broadband infrastructure projects. This funding is an investment in the commonwealth’s communities and economy."

Through the American Rescue Plan Act, $6.1 billion in funding has been distributed to counties in Pennsylvania, as well as the commonwealth’s metropolitan cities and local government agencies. This has been done for COVID-19 pandemic recovery through aspects like response efforts, replacing lost revenue, helping the economy get back to normal for households and business and public health concerns.