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U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $8.1 Million to Support Economic and Job Growth in Six States

PROJECTS EXPECTED TO CREATE APPROXIMATELY 1,300 JOBS AND GENERATE MORE THAN $150 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT

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 $8.1 million in grants to support economic development projects in Alabama, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. The projects are expected to create 1,373 jobs and attract more than $150 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“The Obama administration is committed to supporting critical infrastructure for long-term job growth and economic competitiveness,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA grants announced today will help implement business infrastructure projects that support good-paying jobs in six states.”

The EDA investments announced today include:

  • $942,295 to the city of Jasper, Alabama, to fund water system improvements, including the construction of a new 20-inch water main along Industrial Park Road. The new waterline will support the planned expansion of two major companies in the city’s industrial park and will permit future development of additional sites. This project is expected to help create 300 jobs and generate $29.5 million in additional private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • $1.4 million to Becker College of Worcester, Massachusetts, to rehabilitate an existing building to accommodate the Massachusetts Digital Gaming Institute’s New Ventures Center. The new facility will provide meeting space, computer labs, multipurpose rooms, and other commercial space suitable for business incubation, research, and design. The project is expected to help create 430 jobs and attract $360,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • $51,190 to the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency of Boston, Massachusetts, to expand the Jodrey State Fish Pier in Gloucester. The construction of new berths and walkways will facilitate increased capacity for the small businesses that make up most of the community’s commercial fishing operations. The project is expected to help create six jobs, according to grantee estimates.

  • $1.5 million to the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority of Greensboro, North Carolina, to make taxiway improvements that will support expansion of Honda Aircraft Company’s Piedmont Triad Airport Campus. The expansion will support innovation and job creation in the region’s existing aviation cluster. The project is expected to help create 419 jobs and attract $80 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • $1.5 million to the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation of Altoona, Pennsylvania, to help build transportation and utility infrastructure for the South Blair County Business Park in Greenfield Township. The work includes grading, erosion control measures, roadways, water and sewer lines, and landscaping, and will allow the county to better meet a growing demand for business space in its industrial parks. The project is expected to create 200 jobs and attract $40 million in additional private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • $1.5 million to the city of Lobelville, Tennessee, to fund expansion of the city’s core water treatment infrastructure. The improvements will increase capacity to mitigate the impact of future flooding and enable the city to better serve residents and local manufacturers. The project is expected to help the city retain 300 jobs.

  • $1 million grant to the city of La Feria, Texas, to help build the La Feria Technology and Success Center, which will promote workforce development in rural communities in the region. The 10,000-square-foot facility will house a computer lab for technology training, classroom space, and conference rooms for education and general training. The project is expected to help create 18 jobs and generate $300,000 in private investment.

  • $270,000 to Cameron Works, Inc., of Brownsville, Texas, to help acquire a new Mobile Training Unit to bring education and job training resources to isolated areas of Cameron County.

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.