Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2 Million to Help Make Water Infrastructure Improvements Needed to Spur Manufacturing Growth in Claremont, North Carolina

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to the City of Claremont, North Carolina, to increase the capacity of the McLin Creek Wastewater Improvement Plant to support the expansion of the region’s manufacturing sector. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 285 jobs and spur $88 million in private investment.

“The Trump Administration is setting the stage for a revival of American manufacturing in communities which have gone ignored for far too long,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “Claremont’s initiative to expand and improve the wastewater plant will provide regional manufacturers with the water capacity they need to grow and create new local jobs.”

“The Trump Administration understands the important role infrastructure investment can have on growing the American economy,” said Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10). “Claremont’s expansion of the wastewater plant is an important step to support our area’s growing manufacturing sector. I’m thankful to the Department of Commerce’s EDA for recognizing the value of this project.”

The project will upgrade and expand the McLin plant, allowing the facility to generate 625,000 gallons of water per day, up from its current capacity of 300,000 gallons per day. The increased capacity will help expand existing businesses and attract new firms to the region. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. EDA funds Western Piedmont Council of Governments to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.

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.