Press Release
September 28, 2023

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.6 Million for Infrastructure Improvements to Support the Automotive Manufacturing Industry in Tuskegee, Alabama

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, edamedia@eda.gov

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.6 million grant to the Utilities Board of the City of Tuskegee, Alabama, for construction of a new electrical distribution substation.

This grant will provide the necessary power to support the Tuskegee Commerce Park, currently in development, and an automotive manufacturing facility. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.1 million in local funds.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is jumpstarting our middle class by building out critical infrastructure and supporting manufacturing here at home,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment in Alabama’s energy infrastructure will support local business growth and improve economic resilience in the region.”

“The Economic Development Administration works hand-in-hand with local communities to support their bottom-up, middle-out economic development strategies,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This strategic, place-based project in Alabama will provide the infrastructure needed to accommodate a major manufacturing facility as well as creating a stronger, more diverse regional economy for the future.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South-Central Alabama Development Commission (SCADC). EDA funds SCADC 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.