Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $13.1 Million to Support Disaster Recovery Efforts in Iowa

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $13.1 million in grants to help the state of Iowa recover from recent natural disasters.

“President Biden is dedicated to using the full power of the federal government to help communities recover and rebuild following natural disasters,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “These EDA investments will enable Iowa, hard hit by recent flooding, to shore up protection in several communities, creating resiliency in the face of future disasters.”

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to supporting locally-driven disaster recovery and resiliency plans,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will allow the city of Davenport and the Muscatine Louisa Island Levee district to protect businesses and infrastructure from major disruption, giving the community peace of mind in the event of future flooding events.”

“Unfortunately, Iowans are no strangers to flooding and other natural disasters. I’m glad to see the Economic Development Administration award $13.1 million in grants to help communities in Iowa continue to recover from these disasters,” said Senator Chuck Grassley. “Davenport and Muscatine will greatly benefit from these grants as they continue to ramp up flood protection projects.”

“I am pleased to see the EDA awarding over $13 million to communities in the Second District impacted by flooding. The 2019 Mississippi River floods hit our communities hard, and these funds will go a long way to minimizing future flood damage,” said Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02). “The city of Davenport and the Muscatine Louisa Island Levee District have needed additional support for a while now, and I am happy to see it being delivered.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• The city of Davenport, Iowa, will receive a $9.9 million EDA grant to construct a flood prevention levy wall and pumping system to protect the regional wastewater treatment facility during flood and stormwater events. The project, to be matched with $2.5 million in local funds, is expected to retain more than 9,000 jobs.
• Muscatine Louisa Island Levee District, Muscatine, Iowa, will receive a $3.2 million EDA grant to support the district’s levee enhancement project, which will provide enhanced flood protection to critical infrastructure and businesses in the region. The project, to be matched with $3.2 million in local funds, is expected to create 215 jobs, retain 3,598 jobs and generate $352 million in private investment.

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.