Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $5.9 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Wastewater System Upgrades Needed to Support Business and Job Growth in Milton, Florida

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $5.9 million grant to the city of Milton, Florida, for construction of a wastewater treatment plant needed to support new economic development projects. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This project will provide the modern infrastructure needed to support local entrepreneurs and attract new, diversified businesses to the region. This EDA grant will be matched with $2.5 million in local funds and is expected to create 230 jobs and generate $33.1 million in private investment.

“President Biden is committed to providing communities with the resources they need to recover from the pandemic and build a better America in the process,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “The North Santa Rosa Regional Water Reclamation Facility, made possible through this EDA grant, will provide the wastewater treatment capacity necessary to support business development and job creation in the region.”

“The Economic Development Administration is dedicated to working with communities to support their locally-driven strategies to recover and rebuild from the pandemic,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will give the region a competitive advantage in attracting new businesses and jobs, making the local economy more resilient and better equipped to overcome future economic disruptions.”

This project is funded under EDA’s American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs. Effective May 26, 2022, EDA has officially closed all of its American Rescue Plan programs for applications. The $3 billion program funding will be awarded on a rolling basis through September 30, 2022.

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Emerald Coast Regional Council (ECRC). EDA funds ECRC 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.

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.