On September 27, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $2.5 million for improvements to water systems in Monroe and Morgan counties in Southeast Ohio.
In Monroe County, the EDA is awarding a $1.2 million grant to Monroe Water Systems to support economic development by relocating and upgrading a 3,700-foot water main. The main had been subject to numerous breaks along its route between State Route 7 and the Ohio River caused by flooding, landslips, and erosion. The resulting breaks had caused losses of production for many industries served by the water system and service interruptions for more than 1,700 customers.
In Morgan County, the EDA is awarding $1.3 million for water infrastructure improvements to ensure reliable water service to residential, commercial and industrial facilities located along State Route 60 north of the Village of McConnelsville.
The projects are expected to create 35 jobs, retain 50 jobs, and generate $2 million in private investments.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that our nation’s coal communities are provided with the resources they need to transition to new industries.” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will spur economic diversification and build a more robust regional economy in Ohio.”
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support locally-driven strategies to boost economic recovery efforts in Ohio,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “These EDA investments will boost industrial job growth, attract private investment and help bring economic prosperity to the region.”
“Ohio’s communities face a heavy burden when having to pay for upgrades to local infrastructure,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, these funds will help Morgan and Monroe counties provide residents and businesses with improved water infrastructure while creating jobs and attracting new investment to the community.”
“Buckeye Hills Regional Council is very excited to see this level of EDA investment in our region’s communities, and we were pleased to be able to assist Monroe and Morgan county officials in applying for this funding,” said Buckeye Hills Regional Council Executive Director Chasity Schmelzenbach.
The projects are 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. 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.