Overview
Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), passed by the federal government in March 2021, Massachusetts state, county, tribal and local entities received federal aid to respond to the public health and economic impacts of the public health emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recipients may use ARPA funds to:
- Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services up to the amount of revenue lost due to the pandemic
- Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts
- Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors
- Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, to support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand affordable access to broadband internet
Town of Amherst staff have worked collaboratively with elected and appointed officials to identify a robust process for allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The Town has been allocated $11.9 million through this Federal grant. Town Council and Town Manager have approved the initial spending plan and we are moving forward with project planning.
Updates
