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BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Recovery Efforts in Mississippi Receive Boost from U.S. EDA

June 28, 2011
Contact: John Atwood, (202) 482-4085


WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced $557,020 in grants to the State of Mississippi to help with recovery from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Obama administration is committed to helping the Gulf Coast recover in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "These EDA investments will help Mississippi establish critical solution and recovery centers that will work to advance economic recovery efforts and grow and diversify Mississippi's economy."

The investments announced today include:

  • $306,000 to the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District of Gulfport and Magnolia Business Alliance of Bay St. Louis to support the design and implementation of the new Gulf Coast Innovative Disaster Solutions Center. The Center will build upon emerging public and private business sectors in developing strategies and identifying partnerships formalizing disaster recovery initiatives, economic diversification, business recovery, and technology transfer opportunities. The Center will engage with the region's workforce training providers to ensure a skilled workforce exists to support this emerging disaster recovery cluster.
  • $251,020 to the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce and the Hancock County Community Development Foundation of Bay St. Louis to implement the Business Resource Recovery Center, which will be the focal point for business recovery in the region and will provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with the education, tools and resources necessary to stabilize and grow in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To date, EDA has invested nearly $8 million to assist in the recovery of communities affected by the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. These projects are part of the Obama administration's overall commitment to the Gulf Coast, to help the region regain its economic footing. In summer of 2010, the National Incident Command deployed 21 Assessment and Evaluation teams to communities affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf. The teams were comprised of economic development practitioners, industry experts, and government officials. They conducted in-depth analyses of critical issues faced by the impacted communities, provided recommendations, and suggested potential solutions to help address issues including industry migration, workforce skills, small business needs, and infrastructure access and management.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration:

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 makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.