The $7 million grant that the East County Water Control District has applied for to pay for improvements and an office building to headquarter the District has been turned down, according to David Lindsay, executive director of the ECWCD.

Lindsay said today that he asked for an update on the possible grant from the USDA and was told via email that Lehigh Acres exceeds the income limits for any grant consideration under the Community Facilities Loan Grant Program.

“The application processing time from pre-app to approval varies with each application (applicant, engineer), but I have a range between 6 months and 2 years,” said Ada Rivera, area specialist, rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Lindsay said he was disappointed but would reapply for a grant once the information from the ongoing 2010 census is completed. He said that information may not be available until 2012.

The topic of getting a grant from the USDA for $7 million has been one of the more controversial subjects the board has discussed in recent years. If the grant had come through, the board would have chosen a building to house their headquarters business office which is now located in two trailers on E. Construction Lane. If a hurricane were to hit the Lehigh Area, many believe the trailers could be destroyed. Also, there is much needed work to be done on ECWCD culverts and bridges.

The next meeting of the ECWCD is May 24 at the trailer offices.