Commerce Invests $4M to Make Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements Needed to Protect Businesses From Flooding in Exmore, Virginia

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration issued the following news release on Oct. 7:

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4 million grant to the town of Exmore, Virginia, to build a new flood-resistant wastewater treatment plant that will increase the city's capacity to protect businesses from flooding and encourage additional business development. The EDA grant, to be matched with $1 million in local investment, is expected to create 116 jobs and retain 475 jobs.

"The Trump Administration is committed to helping communities affected by natural disasters build back stronger and more resilient," said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "Exmore's new wastewater treatment facility will promote economic growth in the region and allow established businesses to remain operational in the event of future floods."

"EDA plays an important role in supporting locally-developed natural disaster recovery and resiliency strategies," said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. "This project will assist Exmore in building back stronger following damage from Hurricane Michael by building a new wastewater treatment facility that will provide the business community with reliable water and sewer service."

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.