U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo revealed today that a $2.1 million grant has been awarded by the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The funds aim at enhancing roadway and water infrastructure to stimulate manufacturing and job growth in the region.
The grant will directly support the local boat manufacturing sector, generating jobs and fostering opportunities in the region. The EDA investment will be complemented by $2.5 million in state and local funds and is anticipated to create 56 jobs and spur $8.3 million in private investment, as per grantee forecasts.
“This EDA grant will support Coahoma County as they create modern and sustainable infrastructure that will expand local businesses, establish good-paying jobs, and bolster the local economy,” stated Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The grant is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a commitment to ensuring that communities across the country, like those in Mississippi, have the resources needed to grow their economies.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo added, “This project will provide critical infrastructure improvements in Coahoma County to help diversify the regional economy and create jobs that will benefit all of Mississippi.”
The project was made viable through regional planning efforts led by the North Delta Planning and Development District (NDPDD). The EDA funds NDPDD to combine the public and private sectors in producing an economic development roadmap to fortify the regional economy, back private capital investment, and generate jobs.
Funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, the project is part of a broader initiative to provide disaster relief and recovery to areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act due to events like Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022.
