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U.S. Commerce Department Invests $6.4 Million to Support Critical Infrastructure in Florida, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Wednesday, September 11, 2013


WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $6.4 million in grants to build critical business infrastructure in Massachusetts and support job training efforts in Florida, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.

“The Obama administration is committed to supporting critical infrastructure that supports local businesses and helps give workers the skills they need to get good jobs,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA grants announced today will help spur innovation and entrepreneurship in advanced manufacturing in Massachusetts, and address workforce training needs in Florida, South Carolina, and Washington, DC.”

The $6.4 million in EDA grants announced today include the following:

  • In Florida, a $70,000 grant to the Florida Green Finance Authority will underwrite a demonstration project to address unemployment in the construction and trade sectors in the towns of Lanata and Magnolia Park. The project will include workshops, training, and other educational modules that will focus on the needs of public utilities for workers trained in water efficiency and retrofitting commercial structures using environmentally sustainable methods.

  • In Massachusetts, a $1.8 million grant will support construction of the Airport Road Water System in Fall River. The new system will provide added capacity for more than 70 commercial and industrial users in the city’s existing commercial and industrial parks as well as the new Massachusetts Accelerator for Bio Manufacturing. This investment is expected to create 60 jobs and generate $25 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • In South Carolina, a $2.5 million grant to Central Carolina Technical College will support the renovation of a vacant building to house the college’s new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Training Center. The Center will help meet industry demands for trained workers with advanced skill-sets in mechatronics and machining. 

  • In Washington, D.C., a $2 million grant to the University of the District of Columbia will support the renovation of an existing facility to establish the University of the District of Columbia–Community College Workforce Training Center. The new center will partner with the District of Columbia’s Department of Employment Services to offer training programs that support the need for trained employees in the health care, construction, and hospitality fields.

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.