Press Release
U.S. Economic Development Administration Invests $1 Million to Help Rebuild Critical Infrastructure and Support Job Creation in Lincoln County, Tennessee
Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $1 million grant to Lincoln County, Tennessee, to help rebuild critical wastewater infrastructure that was impacted by severe storm damage in 2011. The EDA investment is expected to create 155 new jobs and attract $6.5 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
“This investment is an example of the Obama administration’s commitment to helping communities impacted by natural disasters rebuild their infrastructure and their economies,” said U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine. “The EDA grant announced today will help ensure business resiliency in Lincoln County, mitigating the effects of any future disasters and supporting business expansion and job creation.”
The EDA grant funds construction of 81,605 linear feet of new sewer lines in the Huntsville Highway corridor, along with four pump stations and related infrastructure. The new wastewater lines will address deficiencies in sewage service that resulted from the 2011 disasters and will support relocation and expansion of defense and aerospace manufacturing facilities in Lincoln County.
This project is part of a $200 million appropriation made by Congress to EDA to help communities that received a major disaster designation in fiscal year 2011 with long-term economic recovery and infrastructure support.
Within the context of the administration’s National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) (PDF), EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency on behalf of the Department of Commerce for the Economic Recovery Support Function (RSF) to coordinate the activities of a diverse group of partner agencies supporting recovery in disaster-impacted communities. The activities consist primarily of improved information sharing and the leveraging of existing resources to make a positive impact for communities affected by disasters.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.