Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1 Million to Build Critical Business-Serving Infrastructure in Virginia

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
January 18, 2017

WASHINGTON - U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million grant to the city of Martinsville, Virginia, to make water infrastructure improvements that will allow for the continued operation, expansion, and location of companies in Martinsville and Henry County. According to the grantee, the project will help to save 1,000 jobs.

“The Commerce Department is committed to improving our nation’s infrastructure to help keep local economies thriving,” said Assistant Secretary Williams. “This EDA grant will provide the infrastructure the business community in Henry County needs to grow.”

This EDA investment will build a replacement section of the Martinsville Sewer Interceptor, which has partially collapsed and threatens the viability of local industries as well as the environmental integrity of the adjacent Smith River.

About the 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.