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U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.8 Million to Support Critical Disaster Recovery and Resiliency Efforts in Kentucky and North Carolina

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Wednesday, September 11, 2013


WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $1.8 million in grants to support critical disaster recovery and resiliency efforts in Kentucky and North Carolina.

“These investments are examples of the Obama administration’s commitment to helping communities rebound and rebuild in the aftermath of natural disasters,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA grants announced today will support the rebuilding of critical infrastructure crucial to future and sustained business growth and job creation across communities in Kentucky and North Carolina.”

The $1.8 million in EDA investments announced today include the following:

  • In Kentucky, a $425,680 grant to the Paducah-McCracken Joint Sewer Agency will help build a new lift station, force main, and service lines to connect the Walker Boat Yard at the Port of Paducah with the city municipal sewer system. The upgraded systems will replace and expand infrastructure that was damaged by severe flooding of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers in 2011. The project is expected to create 50 new jobs and generate $10 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

  • In North Carolina, a $1.4 million grant to the city of Washington will fund replacement of a water pumping station and installation of a new water transmission line from the city’s regional water treatment plant. The work will promote the resiliency and reliability of critical infrastructure in Washington’s downtown area that was damaged by flooding from Hurricane Irene in 2011. This investment is expected to create 68 new jobs and generate $8 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

These projects are part of a $200 million appropriation made by Congress to EDA to help communities that received a major disaster designation in fiscal year 2011 with long-term economic recovery and infrastructure support.

Within the context of the administration’s National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) (PDF), EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency on behalf of the Department of Commerce for the Economic Recovery Support Function (RSF) to coordinate the activities of a diverse group of partner agencies supporting recovery in disaster-impacted communities. The activities consist primarily of improved information sharing and the leveraging of existing resources to make a positive impact for communities affected by disasters.

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 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.