Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $500,000 to Support Growth of Pike County’s Manufacturing Sector

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $500,000 grant to Pike County, Alabama, to make critical infrastructure improvements needed to support the growth of manufacturing businesses in the region, including a major lumber manufacturing facility. This EDA grant will be matched with $500,000 in state investment and is expected to attract $110 million in private investment and create 110 jobs.

“Helping our communities implement their plans to provide the vital infrastructure that businesses need to be successful is a top priority for President Trump,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Dr. John Fleming. “This EDA investment will help build necessary road infrastructure needed to serve Pike County’s manufacturing industry and accommodate its future growth.”

This project will help to resurface approximately four miles of County Road (CR) 7714 from CR-7724 north to CR-7707. The structural improvements to County Road will make it more resilient to heavy traffic from logging trucks. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South Central Alabama Development Commission. EDA funds the South Central Alabama Development Commission to help 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.

This project is funded under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (PL 115-123) (PDF), in which Congress appropriated to EDA $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program (PDF) funds for disaster relief and recovery as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, wildfires and other calendar year 2017 natural disasters under the Stafford Act.

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.