oday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.5 million grant to the Derry Township Municipal Authority, Hershey, Pennsylvania, to boost business and job growth in the region by upgrading the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant in Londonderry Township.
This project will help attract new businesses to the region, which has been impacted by the closure of a nuclear energy facility. This EDA grant will be matched with $5 million in local funds and is expected to create 1,500 jobs and generate $260 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
“President Biden is committed to supporting local efforts to create new opportunity and jobs in communities impacted by nuclear plant closures,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This investment will provide the infrastructure that Londonderry Township needs to attract new businesses that can diversify and grow the regional economy.”
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support the region’s strategy to grow the local economic base through infrastructure improvements designed to attract businesses and promote job growth,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This investment will broaden and grow the local economy following the recent closure of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant, the area’s largest employer.”
“This investment is huge – 1,500 jobs for central Pennsylvania is going to be pivotal for both local families and the economy,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “Piece by piece, job by job, the Biden Administration is building back a stronger nation by giving every American the opportunity to thrive.”
This project is being funded under EDA’s Assistance to Nuclear Closure Communities program. Closures of nuclear power plants throughout the United States have had a significant impact on the economic foundations of surrounding communities through sudden job losses and a reduction to the local tax base. EDA has a strong history of working with communities facing structural economic adjustments, including those impacted by nuclear power plant closures.
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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.