Press Release
U.S. EDA Investment Advances Manufacturing Sector in North Carolina
December 6, 2011
Contact: John Atwood, (202) 482-4085
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $450,000 investment to the State of North Carolina Department of Transportation to build roadway infrastructure that will support the establishment of a new gypsum manufacturing facility in Person County.
"The manufacturing sector employs million of Americans, providing good-paying jobs for workers," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "This federal grant invests in critical infrastructure expansion that will foster regional job and economic growth, support a new manufacturing facility and increase local competitiveness."
The federal investment will help construct road improvements that meet the logistics requirements of the manufacturer, which will utilize the byproducts of Progress Energy's Roxboro coal fired plant, a modern power plant operating state-of-the-art emissions control system, to create its high grade gypsum to successfully compete with global manufacturers.
"This grant helps with the infrastructure upgrades necessary to bring jobs and a much-needed economic boost to the people in these counties," said North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Gene Conti.
The Obama administration has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to domestic manufacturing. Recently, President Obama directed agencies to speed up the transfer of federal research and development from the laboratory to the marketplace. He also called for the creation of BusinessUSA, a one-stop, central online platform where small businesses and businesses of all sizes that want to begin or increase exporting can access information about available federal programs without having to waste time navigating the federal bureaucracy. These steps will help American businesses create new products, compete in a global economy, and create jobs here at home.
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.