Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) will award $1,686,338 to four projects in Western Kentucky through the States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP). The four recipient projects are located in Henderson, Benton, Greenville, and Princeton, Kentucky.
Senator McConnell advocates for funding for the SEDAP program through his role as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also wrote letters to Dr. Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority, in support of the projects in Benton and Henderson, Kentucky.
Congress created the Delta Regional Authority in 2000 to promote economic growth in the eight-state region bordering the Mississippi River through projects supporting infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. Twenty-one counties in Western Kentucky are included in the DRA program.
The grants announced today include:
- $650,501 for the Henderson Community College to expand the school’s Advanced Manufacturing Center Lab and train more skilled workers for the local manufacturing industry.
- $527,158 for the Marshall County Fiscal Court to create safe traffic entrance points connecting the Southwest One Industrial Park to U.S. Highway 641.
- $387,772 for the City of Greenville to improve the city’s wastewater treatment plant and create capacity for future economic development.
- $120,957 for the Princeton, Kentucky Community Medical Clinic to purchase new x-ray equipment for their rural healthcare clinics.
“States along the Mississippi River are bound by a common geography, history, and economic trajectory. I proudly support the Delta Regional Authority during the appropriations process because they understand the shared ties that unite the area and support projects that bring concrete, lasting improvements to the region. I congratulate the organizations receiving support through the Delta Regional Authority today and look forward to the new development they will foster in Western Kentucky,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
“We embrace our critical responsibility to maintain a strong talent pipeline necessary for our new and existing industries to thrive,” said Henderson Community College President/CEO Dr. Jason Warren. “I am thrilled with how we came together as a community to prioritize and address this need. We appreciate Senator McConnell’s support of this vital workforce development project that will benefit our region for years to come.”
“This is great news and another step forward in getting Southwest One infrastructure in place for growth. Marshall County is pleased to know we have partnerships with congressional leaders like Senator McConnell, Paducah Area Development District, the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, and local leaders. We have to have successful relationships, projects, and a vision to be competitive within the Delta Region. I want to personally thank everyone involved and I look forward to the next steps of completion for Southwest One Industrial Park,” said Marshall County Judge-Executive Kevin Neal.
“Once again, what an honor it is to be working with a great organization like the Delta Regional Authority to help create a better future for employment in Benton, Kentucky. The grant funding from DRA will not only help create jobs for Marshall County but also enhance safety and access to the Southwest One Industrial Park in a meaningful way. Once complete, these improvements to the Southwest One Industrial Park will provide any company with a desire to locate in our area a safe and immediate path to begin construction on a new facility. On behalf of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, we say thank you to Senator McConnell, Senator Paul, Representative Comer, the Purchase Area Development District, and their staff for their assistance and support with our grant application, and more importantly, for their visions and understanding of the need for economic development in Western Kentucky,” said Dennis Smith, Chair of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority.
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