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U.S. Economic Development Administration Invests $160,000 to Help Tonawanda Develop Power Plant Closure Recovery Strategy


WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $160,000 grant to the Research Foundation of State University of New York — on behalf of the University of Buffalo — to help develop a strategy that will assist the town of Tonawanda, N.Y., in addressing the sudden and severe economic distress experienced as a result of the recent closure of the NRG Huntley coal plant.

“The Obama administration is committed to helping communities impacted by changes in the coal economy diversify, grow and thrive,” said Jay Williams, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “The Tonawanda strategy will leverage existing local and regional planning and economic development strategies to create a cohesive response that will help the town pursue new economic opportunities and handle the change to its economic and tax revenue base.”

This investment is being made under the Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) program, an integrated, multi-agency effort to invest federal economic and workforce development resources in communities and regions negatively affected by changes in the coal economy.

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. To learn more about EDA, visit www.eda.gov.