Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $14.5 Million to Support Disaster Recovery Efforts in Texas

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $14.5 million in grants to communities throughout Texas to help support local recovery efforts following Hurricane Harvey. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create and retain over 480 jobs, while generating $512 million in private investment.

“The Trump Administration is committed to not only providing aid after natural disasters, but also to taking action that better prepares Americans and the communities where they live for future events,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These investments will support local initiatives to accelerate recovery efforts after Hurricane Harvey and grow the state’s economy.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• The City of Ingleside will receive $5 million to construct State Highway 200 and the Emory Bellard Drainage Project. The new arterial roadway will support business expansion and provide much-needed access to evacuation and re-entry routes in the event of a hurricane. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain 100 jobs, while generating $500 million in private investment.
• The City of Aransas Pass will receive $4.8 million to repave roads damaged by Hurricane Harvey. The improvements will provide connectivity and stimulate private investment in the city’s downtown area. Improvements in the harbor will also help the fishing and tourism industries continue their recovery. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain more than 80 jobs.
• The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation will receive $4.7 million to establish a new Community and Business Development Center to help new startup companies and small businesses expand operations. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 300 new jobs and generate $12 million in private investment.

The Port Arthur project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission. The Aransas Pass and Ingleside projects were made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Coastal Bend Council of Governments. EDA funds the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission and the Coastal Bend Council of Governments 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.

This project is funded under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (PL 115-123) (PDF), in which Congress appropriated to EDA $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program (PDF) funds for disaster relief and recovery as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, wildfires, and other calendar year 2017 natural disasters under the Stafford Act.

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.