Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests to Provide Critical Relocation of an Electric Utility in Sumner, Iowa

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.13 million grant to the city of Sumner, Iowa, to advance local disaster resiliency efforts by helping construct a new substation and transmission drop located outside of the floodplain. The grant, to be matched with $1.13 million in local investment, is expected to help retain 210 jobs.

“The Trump Administration and the Department of Commerce understand the challenges faced by American cities and towns devastated by recent natural disasters and are committed to helping them recover,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We are pleased to support Sumner’s utility relocation project to help protect the local business community from future flood events.”

“EDA is pleased to work with communities like Sumner to support their locally devised strategies to recover from, and build back stronger, following natural disasters,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fleming. “This project addresses the local and regional need to provide disaster resilient utilities to protect businesses from flooding.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Iowa Northland Regional Economic Development Commission (INRCOG). EDA funds the INRCOG 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) (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.