Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.5 million grant to the city of Marble Falls, Texas, to build a new flood-resistant wastewater treatment plant that will increase the city’s capacity to protect businesses from flooding and encourage additional business development. The EDA grant, to be matched with $625,000 in local investment, is expected to retain 750 jobs.
“The Trump Administration is committed to helping communities affected by natural disasters build back stronger and more resilient,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “Marble Falls’ new wastewater treatment facility will both promote economic growth in the region and allow established businesses to remain operational in the event of future flood events.”
“EDA plays an important role in supporting local efforts to rebuild communities that are responding to natural disasters,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This project is focused on building economic resiliency by moving wastewater treatment facilities out of the floodplain and increasing water-processing capacities to attract and advance business growth in the region.”
“I thank our partners at the EDA for providing this grant to the community of Marble Falls,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “The treatment plant built with these funds will stimulate the local economy and better protect local businesses from potential flooding.”
“As the coronavirus outbreak destabilizes our way of life, it is critical that we take active measures to ensure that struggling Texas businesses can weather the storm,” said Senator Cornyn. “I’ll continue to do everything I can to help small businesses in Marble Falls bounce back amid this deadly pandemic.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Capital Area Council of Governments, which EDA funds to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.
This project is funded by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-20) (PDF), which provided EDA with $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program (PDF) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas affected by Hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and other major natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018, and tornadoes and floods occurring in calendar year 2019, under the Robert T. Stafford Act. Please visit EDA’s Disaster Supplemental webpage for more information.
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.