Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.8 Million to Provide Critical Infrastructure in Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $4.8 million in grants to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help provide the critical infrastructure necessary to support business development.

“Dilapidated infrastructure has shackled the economic growth of countless communities across the country,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These projects will support locally-led development efforts which, in turn, will grow the state’s economy and create hundreds of jobs.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• The Towanda Municipal Authority will receive $3 million to help construct a water filtration treatment plant with additional site work and improvements. With the addition of this plant, the grantee estimates that the region will create 85 new jobs and retain 100 jobs. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission. EDA funds the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission 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.
• Juniata Business and Industry, Inc., will receive $1.8 million to expand the Juniata Industrial Park to include 12 lots for prospective manufacturing companies. The investment will provide necessary water, sewer, and fiber infrastructure across approximately 30 acres. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 230 jobs. This project is funded under the 2018 Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC 2108) program, through which EDA will award funds on a competitive basis to assist communities severely impacted by the declining use of coal through activities and programs that support economic diversification, job creation, capital investment, workforce development, and re-employment opportunities.

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.