Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests to Boost Tourism-related Business Development in West Virginia

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that it is investing in the Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority of Man, West Virginia, to help expand the Hatfield McCoy Trail System. The investment will be matched with $452,228 in local funds and is expected to help create 75 jobs and generate $5 million in private investment.

“President Trump is committed to helping communities across the nation develop their unique local resources to support business development and growth,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Dr. John Fleming. “The expanded Hatfield McCoy Trail System will help to enhance this critical contributor to West Virginia’s tourism economy.”

A $678,344 EDA grant to the Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority will help open more than 185 miles of new Hatfield McCoy Trails in Lincoln, McDowell, and Wyoming counties.

This project is funded under the Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC) 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.