U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.2 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for a New Water Treatment Plant to Support Business and Job Growth in Northern Mississippi

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.2 million grant to Nesbit Water Association, Inc., Nesbit, Mississippi, to help build a new water treatment plant and related system upgrades needed to support existing and future business needs. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This project will support local business expansion and location plans, including a new, state-of-the-art grocery distribution center in Hernando that will make the region more resilient to food shortages and higher prices experienced during the current and other similar pandemics. This EDA grant will be matched with $1.8 million in local funds and is expected to create 79 jobs and generate $300 million in private investment.

“President Biden and this Administration continue to support community-led efforts to strengthen and grow regional economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will provide the infrastructure necessary for local businesses to create jobs and build regional economic resilience.”

“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting community-led economic development strategies designed to boost coronavirus recovery and response efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will replace aging water infrastructure in order to support new business opportunities and create jobs in the region.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the North Delta Planning and Development District (NDPDD). EDA funds NDPDD 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. 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.

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.