U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo has announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.5 million grant to the Greeneville Water Commission for for sewer infrastructure improvements to support business expansion and job creation. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by First Tennessee Development District (FTDD). EDA funds the FTDD 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 grant will provide for reliable sewer service capacity needed for a major plastics manufacturer to expand operations while supporting future business and industrial growth. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.6 million in local funds and is expected to help create or retain more than 200 jobs and generate $3.6 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates. "Funding opportunities such as these equate to competiveness for Greeneville and Greene County," said Mayor Cal Doty of Greeneville, who went on to add that, "I am thankful for the partnership between the Town, GWC, and the Development District which made this funding possible and it is exciting to be able to provide support for industry right here in our community."
Since 2018, the First Tennessee Development District, with the assistance from EDA, has received eight grants totaling over $12 million dollars, representing a total of $28.5 million in investment for infrastructure upgrades to assist companies expanding or locating in the region. "I want to thank EDA, and especially the staff for their assistance with this $1.5 Million infrastructure improvement project for Greeneville, Tennessee," shared Bill Forrester with the FTDD. Forrester added that "EDA funds will make it possible for the Town, and more specifically the Greeneville Water Commission, to upgrade the existing sewer system for Parkway Products to create over 200 jobs and $3.6 million in private investment."
For information related to the Development District's Industrial Development Programs, please click here.
For additional information on this or other FTDD News, please contact Mark Stevans, mstevans@ftdd.org.