U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.7 Million for Flood Protection System to Protect Businesses in Clarksville, Missouri

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.7 million grant to the city of Clarksville, Missouri, to construct a demountable flood protection system along the Mississippi River to keep businesses open and operating.

The project will make Clarksville resistant to flooding, preventing business disruptions and creating a resilient regional economy. This EDA grant will be matched by $10 million in state funds and is expected to create and retain 40 jobs and generate $585,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting communities as they mitigate disasters and develop robust regional economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will ensure the local economy continues to thrive in the event of a future flood and encourage new business growth, boosting the regional economy.”

“EDA plays an important role in supporting locally-driven disaster recovery and resiliency plans,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will prevent flooding in Clarksville, avoiding business disruptions and creating a resilient downtown for new and existing businesses.”

“Clarksville has faced significant challenges with recurring flooding for more than a decade,” said Senator Roy Blunt. “I was in the area following the severe flooding in 2019 to see the extensive damage that had occurred and to talk with local leaders about ways to strengthen the city’s flood protection moving forward. This long-sought investment in a removable flood wall will help prevent costly damage in the future, and it will help grow the local economy by providing the certainty and protection that families and businesses need.”

“I’m thrilled to see the City of Clarksville receive the last piece of funding needed to begin work build on their movable flood wall project. With a movable flood wall, the community can finally protect themselves from future flooding, before it happens. For years, Mayor Jo Anne Smiley has worked tirelessly to see this project come to fruition and that day is finally in sight. I was proud to support the legislation back in 2019 that made this funding possible. I’m glad to see it awarded to Clarksville for this critical project,” said Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06). “I’m also grateful for the efforts of Governor Parson, the Missouri Department of Economic Development and state legislators to ensure that the rest of the funding needed was provided. Mayor Smiley, the City of Clarksville and the Mark Twain Council of Governments are to be commended for their hard work which will enable the city to not only survive, but thrive, for years to come.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments (MTRCOG). EDA funds MTRCOG 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 by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-20), which provided EDA with $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas affected by Hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and other major natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018, and tornadoes and floods occurring in calendar year 2019, under the Robert T. Stafford Act. Please visit EDA’s Disaster Supplemental webpage for more information.

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.