U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.4 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Road Improvements to Support Business Growth in Sulphur Springs, Texas

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.4 million grant to the city of Sulphur Springs, Texas, for roadway improvements needed to boost business growth at the Thermal Industrial Park. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan and EDA’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment.

This project will redevelop East Haul Roadway to accommodate heavy truck traffic in a region impacted by the declining use of coal. The EDA investment will be matched with $595,392 in local funds and is expected to create 180 jobs and generate $250 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden is committed to ensuring that our communities are provided with the resources they need to diversify and grow their economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will grow industrial businesses in Sulphur Springs, spurring private investment and strengthening the regional economy.”

“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting locally-developed strategies designed to stimulate American innovation and entrepreneurial activity,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This infrastructure constructed through this project will attract new businesses to the area, bringing good-paying jobs to the community.”

“The Economic Development Administration’s investment in Sulphur Springs will help pave the way to greater economic opportunity for Texans in the region,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “The resources provided by this grant will help boost business growth and bring new jobs to the community as we continue unleashing the full might of the Texas economy for all to thrive in our state.”

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.

EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment allocates $300 million of EDA’s $3 billion American Rescue Plan appropriation to support coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and to help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector. Specifically, EDA has dedicated $100 million of its Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and $200 million of its Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to directly support coal communities.

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.