U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.5 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Infrastructure Improvements in Support of Business and Job Growth in Henry County, Kentucky

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.5 million grant to the Henry County Fiscal Court, New Castle, Kentucky, to make sewage system expansion and upgrades needed to support economic growth in the region. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This project will provide the sewage infrastructure needed to support a major, new bourbon distillery and other businesses needs in the area. This EDA grant will be matched with $393,320 in local funds and is expected to create 80 jobs and generate $100 million in local investment, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden’s American Rescue Plan delivers federal resources to communities to ensure our nation not only recovers from the pandemic, but builds a better America for the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This project will expand economic opportunity in Henry County by supporting the expansion of existing business, leading to good-paying jobs for residents.”

“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. “This EDA investment will support the construction of more than 14,000-linear-feet of sewer main, as well as a pump station, facilitating the growth of major area employers.”

“This project will not only help to grow our booming spirits industry, but will aid in attracting additional businesses to the area,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “This truly is an exciting time for Kentucky, as we continue to position ourselves to lead in the post-COVID economy and bring prosperity to every county in the commonwealth.”

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. Effective May 26, 2022, EDA has officially closed all of its American Rescue Plan programs for applications. The $3 billion program funding will be awarded on a rolling basis through September 30, 2022.

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Kentuckian Regional Planning and Development Agency. EDA funds the Kentuckian Regional Planning and Development Agency 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 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.