Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $999,895 in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Coal Facility Reuse Planning in Northern Arizona

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 $999,895 grant to the Arizona Board of Regents – Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, to support community redevelopment through reuse planning of coal facilities. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan and EDA’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment.

This grant will facilitate an inventory of current coal facilities in Northern Arizona, and the creation of an assessment report outlining reuse and redevelopment options for former coal plants. The EDA investment will be matched with $249,983 in local funds.

“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 will assist communities in Northern Arizona that are transitioning from a coal-centric economy, while creating the potential for new businesses and jobs for the region.”

“Today’s grant – secured through our American Rescue Plan – will modernize Arizona’s economy, and we’re glad to see these investments used to create economic opportunity and innovation to ensure the Northern Arizona coal communities that have historically helped power our state get ahead,” said Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

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.

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. 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.