U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.4 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Manufacturing Expansion in Middlebury, Indiana

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.4 million grant to the town of Middlebury, Indiana, to upgrade wastewater infrastructure to support business expansion, including the region’s critical recreational vehicle manufacturing industry. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This grant will replace and relocate the outdated Hardwoods Lift Station in support the growth of local industrial employers. The EDA investment will be matched with $597,000 in local funds and is expected to retain 100 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden’s American Rescue Plan offers direct relief to American communities as they work to build a better America for the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will provide critical infrastructure needed to build economic resiliency and ensure that northern Indiana remains as a global leader in recreational vehicle production.”

“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support locally-driven strategies to boost economic recovery efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA award in Middlebury, Indiana, will pave the way for industrial growth, new job opportunities and long-term regional economic resiliency.”

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.