Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.5 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Wastewater and Electrical Infrastructure to Support New Business Development in Kansas

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is investing $4.5 million in the state of Kansas to construct wastewater and electrical infrastructure needed to support new business development in the state. These grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan.

• The city of Dodge City will receive a $2.5 million grant to aid the installation of a new sewer line to support a planned food manufacturing facility and other business needs. This EDA grant will be matched with $5.1 million in local funds and is expected to create 250 jobs and generate $600 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
• The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities will receive a $2 million grant for construction of a new electrical distribution feeder in support of a new business under development. This EDA grant will be matched with $746,441 in local funds and is expected to create 936 jobs and generate $216 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden is dedicated to supporting communities as they seek to create new opportunities to spur business growth and create jobs,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These EDA investments will help communities in Kansas build stronger, more robust local economies.”

“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. “EDA is pleased to assist Dodge City and the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities as they work to provide the infrastructure and other resources needed to support good-paying jobs.”

“These investments will create hundreds of jobs, grow our economy, and give Kansas businesses more of the tools they need to grow and succeed,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “It’s not just Dodge City and Kansas City that will benefit from these projects. Every Kansas community wins when we show that strong infrastructure is essential to economic success.”

“One of my top priorities over the past two years has been to make sure Kansans have the resources needed to get back to work, support their families, and contribute to our ever-growing local economy,” said Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-03). “This EDA funding I helped bring to our state through the American Rescue Plan will do just that, while also supporting our water and electrical infrastructure. I will keep working to lower costs and ensure a thriving economy in the Kansas City area and across the entire state.”

These investments were made possible by the regional planning efforts of Great Plains Development, Inc., and the Mid-America Regional Council, respectively. EDA funds these organizations 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 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.

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.