U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced today that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) will award a $2.3 million grant to the Port of Columbia in Columbia, Louisiana. The funds are earmarked for infrastructure improvements designed to stimulate private investment and generate employment in the area.
The grant will facilitate the construction of an emergency staging area, which will function as a central hub for effective emergency responses after natural calamities. The EDA investment will be matched with $565,000 in local funds and is projected to create or retain 12 jobs while attracting $3 million in private investment, according to estimates by the grantee.
“Building robust infrastructure is the key to unlocking the full potential of the American economy, and the center of President Biden’s economic vision,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This grant from EDA will be a vital investment for the state of Louisiana, opening the door job creation, economic growth, and critical emergency infrastructure projects.”
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo stated, “The Economic Development Administration works closely with local communities to support place-based economic growth. This EDA investment will provide critical emergency infrastructure, supporting job growth and a robust regional economy that can weather future storms.”
Representative Julia Letlow (LA-05) added that the EDA investment will be instrumental in advancing the Fifth District, praising the Port of Columbia as a major economic contributor to the region, attracting jobs and investment.
The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the North Delta Regional Planning and Development District (North Delta RPDD). EDA funds North Delta RPDD 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.
The project is funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022.
