Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.1 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Infrastructure Improvements to Support Business Development in Richfield City, Utah

Award is Part of the Department of Commerce’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.1 million grant to the city of Richfield City, Utah, to construct road and utilities infrastructure to allow for expansion of a business park. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan and EDA’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment.

This grant will create new opportunities for business growth in a region impacted by the declining use of coal. The EDA investment will be matched with $523,697 in local funds and is expected to create or retain 90 jobs and generate $18 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to providing communities with the support needed to grow and expand their regional economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will build the foundation for new industries and businesses to establish in Richfield City, creating a robust, diverse regional economy.”

“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 project announced today will create the necessary infrastructure to bring new businesses and good-paying jobs to the region.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Six County Economic Development District (SCEDD). EDA funds SCEDD 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.

EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment allocates $300 million of EDA’s $3 billion American Rescue Plan appropriation to support coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and to help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector. Specifically, EDA has dedicated $100 million of its Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and $200 million of its Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to directly support coal communities.

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.