Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.6 Million to Make Sewer Infrastructure Improvements Needed to Support Business Growth in Dublin, Georgia, Opportunity Zone

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.6 million grant to the city of Dublin, Georgia, to provide expanded and reliable sanitary sewer service to the Dublin-Laurens County South Industrial Park. The EDA grant, to be located in a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Opportunity Zone, will be matched with nearly $1.5 million in local funds.

“Dublin and Laurens County were severely impacted by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This project will increase Dublin’s capacity to attract and retain businesses, become more resilient to future natural disasters, and maximize its Opportunity Zone designation to further transform the local and regional economy.”

“The Trump Administration is committed to helping American communities impacted by natural disasters build the modern infrastructure necessary to attract new businesses,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This investment will provide Dublin with the updated infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of the local business community, and the project’s location in an Opportunity Zone will attract additional investment to the region.”

“Over the past few years, Georgia’s 260 Opportunity Zones have attracted new investment, created quality jobs, and lifted people from poverty,” said Senator David Perdue. “These infrastructure improvements in Dublin will help keep up the momentum and support continued economic growth in Georgia, all while helping the community continue recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Michael.”

“This grant will be put to good use fortifying Dublin’s economy following years of negative impact by natural disasters,” said Senator Kelly Loeffler. “By expanding reliable sanitary sewer service to the Dublin-Laurens County South Industrial Park, this grant ensures Dublin can attract and maintain new businesses, recover from past natural disasters, prepare for future ones and increase investment in this Opportunity Zone to benefit and strengthen the local economy. I thank Secretary Ross, President Trump and his administration for their continued support of the Peach State’s economy as we work to recover from natural disasters.”

“Dublin has long been a leader in economic development and business recruitment, and I’m proud to see the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in action by helping to spur economic growth in Opportunity Zones,” said Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12). “After being impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Michael, this investment will help to further develop the Industrial Park and rebuild the economy.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Economic Development District, which EDA funds 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.

The funding announced today goes to one of Georgia’s 260 Opportunity Zones. Created by President Donald J. Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity Zones are spurring economic development in economically-distressed communities nationwide. In June 2019, EDA added Opportunity Zones as an Investment Priority, which increases the number of catalytic Opportunity Zone-related projects that EDA can fund to fuel greater public investment in these areas. To learn more about the Commerce Department’s work in Opportunity Zones, please visit EDA’s Opportunity Zones webpage. To learn more about the Opportunity Zone program, see the Opportunity Now resources webpage. To learn more about Opportunity Zone best practices, see the recently released White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council Report (PDF) to President Trump.

This project is funded by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-20) (PDF), which provided EDA with $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program (PDF) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas affected by Hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and other major natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018, and tornadoes and floods occurring in calendar year 2019, under the Robert T. Stafford Act. Please visit EDA’s Disaster Supplemental webpage for more information.

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.