Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests Nearly $2 Million to Create Jobs in Southern Virginia

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Tuesday, August 25, 2015

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a nearly $2 million grant to the Town of Boydton, Virginia to upgrade the town’s wastewater treatment plant and expand the data center of a large technology company. According to the grantee, this project will create or save 70 jobs and generate nearly $350 million in private investment.

“The Obama Administration is committed to ensuring our nation’s infrastructure is able to support business growth and job creation,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will provide critical water treatment services to existing businesses and allow new firms to move to the region, creating jobs for the Boydton region.”

EDA’s investment will help fund the construction of new sewer lines and upgrade equipment in the Boydton Wastewater Treatment plant, which serves the rural Virginia counties of Mecklenburg, Brunswick, and Halifax. The expanded and renewed facilities will enable the expansion of a major technology company’s data center. According to the grantee, this project will also help redevelop a former correctional facility into a regional industrial park, providing additional long-term employment opportunities for the Southside Virginia region.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The Economic Development Administration marks 50 years of public service, leading 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.