Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $387,500 to Help Develop Economic Recovery Strategy for Disaster-Affected Areas of Minot, North Dakota
Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Thursday, September 20, 2012
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $387,500 grant to the city of Minot and the Souris Basin Planning Council in North Dakota, to help develop a disaster recovery plan and strategy that will support the long-term economic resiliency of the city. Minot and the surrounding area were devastated by severe floods in June 2011 that damaged many businesses in the city's downtown and rendered numerous residential areas uninhabitable.
"This EDA grant will help the Minot region recover and is an excellent example of the Obama administration's committed to helping communities rebuild and recover in the wake natural disasters," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine. "The economic recovery strategy to be developed by Minot and the Souris Basin Planning Council will help ensure that the city will be rebuilt as a vibrant, diversified, disaster-resistant commercial center."
The EDA investment funds a neighborhood-based recovery strategy that will take into account the specific needs of each commercial and residential neighborhood in the rebuilding and reinvestment process. It will also identify ways of diversifying the region's economic base, establish priorities for the city's future workforce needs, and specify infrastructure upgrades that will be needed to support future economic growth.
This project is part of a $200 million appropriation made by Congress to EDA to help communities that received a major disaster designation in fiscal year 2011 with long-term economic recovery and infrastructure support.
Within the context of the administration's National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF), EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency on behalf of the Department of Commerce for the Economic Recovery Support Function (RSF) to coordinate the activities of a diverse group of partner agencies supporting recovery in disaster-impacted communities. The activities consist primarily of improved information sharing and the leveraging of existing resources to make a positive impact for communities affected by disasters.
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.