U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Upgrade Infrastructure in Union, South Carolina

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million American Rescue Plan grant to the city of Union, South Carolina, to make infrastructure upgrades.

This project will fund upgrades to a sewer trunk line in Union, which will provide the additional capacity necessary to better serve existing industries and support future industrial growth. The project will be matched with $857,750 in state funds.

“President Biden is committed to providing communities with the resources they need to recover from the pandemic and build a better America in the process,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment will provide for necessary sewer upgrades needed to support job creation and business development.”

“The Economic Development Administration is dedicated to working with communities to support their locally-driven strategies to recover and rebuild from the pandemic,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The project announced today will provide critical infrastructure upgrades and enhance economic resilience in South Carolina.”

“It’s no surprise that South Carolina’s 5th congressional district is primed for continued economic growth over the next decade, and Union County will be a big part of that,” said Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05). “This grant will help provide important utility improvements essential for Union’s economic development, and I look forward to seeing the impact these funds will have over the next couple of years.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Catawba Regional Council of Governments (COG). EDA funds COG 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.

This project is funded under EDA’s American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance Program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.