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U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3.4 Million in Rochelle to Make Rail Improvements to Help Bring New Businesses to the Region


WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.4 million grant to the city of Rochelle, Ill., to extend a city-owned and operated rail line and rail switch yard to serve a local industrial/commercial property.

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to ensuring that our communities and regions have the critical infrastructure they need to support businesses and jobs,” said Secretary Pritzker. “This EDA investment will provide rail service to industrial space in Rochelle to attract new businesses and jobs.”

Since 1986, Rochelle has attracted more than 1,500 manufacturing and logistics jobs, making it one of the most robust employment centers in the region. A strong working partnership between EDA and the city has helped to fuel this progress. For example, a $3 million EDA investment in the city helped to build an overpass that led to the creation of the 2,000-acre industrial area where Nippon Sharyo’s manufacturing plant is now located. A subsequent $2.4 million investment helped to improve the Rochelle Dual Access Railroad, which serves the plant site.

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.