Delta Regional Authority invests $2.4M to strengthen SE Missouri’s economy, infrastructure

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DED Update

Delta Regional Authority invests $2.4M to strengthen SE Missouri’s economy, infrastructure


The Delta Regional Authority and Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, together with their federal and local-based partners, today announced $2.4 million in new investments to strengthen Missouri’s infrastructure, workforce, and economy. DRA partnerships will support public and private investments and bring a total of $8 million in new investments to support economic development and growth in southeastern Missouri.

“Southeast Missouri benefits from the Delta Regional Authority’s ability to deliver economic development and infrastructure investments that provide substantial improvements for rural residents and communities,” Gov. Greitens said. “DRA, along with its partners, will help bring an additional $8 million of investments into our state to improve the lives of rural residents and help deliver workforce training and jobs to underserved communities.”  

Five of the investments were made through the DRA States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP), the agency's main federal funding program that invests in basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, workforce development, and small business and entrepreneurship projects. The other investment was through DRA’s Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF).

“It’s great news for our southeast Missouri communities that these resources are headed to the region—a $2.4 million investment that’s a clear demonstration of confidence in the region’s growth,” said U.S. Sen Claire McCaskill. “These investments will go a long way for our critical infrastructure, workforce development, and health care delivery projects that’ll support jobs across the Missouri Delta region.”

“The Delta Regional Authority investments announced today will improve the quality of life for communities in southeastern Missouri by strengthening infrastructure, expanding workforce training opportunities, and improving access to health care,” said U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt. “I’ve been proud to back the DRA’s efforts, and will continue working to ensure it has the resources it needs to boost economic growth in the region.”

Missouri is one of eight states to receive DRA investments. The agency’s total investments in the Mississippi River Delta Region and Black Belt of Alabama will reach $20 million in 2017. With contributions from public and private partners, total investments will be $231.6 million.

“DRA investments will support infrastructure improvements to retain jobs, train workers for employment in the 21st Century, deliver better health care and install safe water and sewer systems to protect the health of residents,” said Peter Kinder, alternate federal co-chairman of DRA. “These six projects will help create jobs, build communities, and improve lives across the Missouri Delta region. This effort highlights DRA’s ability to build public-private partnerships to invest in the future of the Delta region.”

DRA – MISSOURI ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS:

  1. CITY OF PIEDMONT: Highway 49 Industrial Park Improvement. DRA Investment: $144,615. Total Investment: $722,720. This DRA investment will replace a failing line that delivers water to the industrial park, which serves several businesses with about 200 employees. Reductions in water pressure today often force businesses to shut down temporarily or reduce their staffing levels until the water line is repaired.
  2. CAPE GIRARDEAU: Workforce Training. DRA Investment: $110,555. Total Investment: $221,110. The Marquette Tech District Foundation Inc. will extend its training program to workforce development agencies, start-up incubators, and colleges or universities across the Delta region. The training program will focus on workers interested in computer programming. The program’s mission is to provide opportunities for underserved individuals in rural southeast Missouri communities to transition to high-wage, computer programming jobs.
  3. CITY OF NEELYVILLE: Wastewater Treatment Improvements. DRA Investment: $206,000. Total Investment: $1,515,006. Neelyville will repair and replace its 30-year-old wastewater collection and treatment system to protect the city’s 483 residents from raw sewage. In July, DRA provided nearly $5,900 in emergency funding to protect residents who were at risk for exposure to raw sewage.
  4. SCOTT CITY: Enhance Growth of Semo Port. DRA Investment: $1,600,000. Total Investment: $2,296,750. DRA’s investment through its CIF program will enhance rail transport to provide immediate and future growth opportunities for the port.
  5. CITY OF SIKESTON: Enhance Health Care. DRA Investment: $218,698. Total Investment: $2,418,698. Missouri Delta Medical Center will add an in-patient adolescent psychiatric program to its scope of services by renovating an existing wing to meet the requirements for this service. The addition will create a minimum of 25 new jobs and provide 15 patient beds designed to accommodate psychiatric patients 13-17 years of age, and support the safety of patients and staff. It will also include support areas such as dining/activity, quiet activity, common shower, nurses work station, private office, break room, seclusion room, washer/dryer, clean utility, soiled utility and janitor's closet.
  6. CAPE GIRARDEAU: Workforce Training. DRA Investment: $155,500. Total Investment: $797,624. This investment will allow the Career and Technology Center to provide tools, trainers and technology to train high school and adult students in its HVAC/R technology, machine tool technology, electrical trades and computer networking programs.  In addition to high school and adult students receiving state-of-the-art training in these two-year programs, the upgrades will provide opportunities for area businesses and industries to train workers with high-demand skills.

"These projects are great investments in southeast and south central Missouri," said U.S Rep. Jason Smith. "I appreciate working with DRA to help identify these important needs in our area and will continue to fight for our tax dollars to be used right here at home."
 
DRA coordinates directly with Missouri’s planning and development districts for program funding implementation. In addition, the agency works closely with Gov. Greitens and his board designee to identify projects to receive SEDAP investments, which are aligned with state economic development goals. These federal investments require a minimal investment of state funds that can bring a large return in DRA and other agency funding and result in a greater economic impact for the Delta region of Missouri. 
 

About The Delta Regional Authority

The Delta Regional Authority is a federal-state partnership created by Congress in 2000 to help create jobs, build communities, and improve lives through strategic investments in economic development in 252 counties and parishes across eight states. To date, the DRA’s SEDAP investments, together with its state and local partners, have leveraged more than $3.7 billion in public and private investment into local small business owners, entrepreneurs, workers, and infrastructure development projects. These investments have helped create or retain more than 37,000 jobs, trained more than 7,300 workers for 21st Century jobs and provided water and sewer service to more than 66,000 residents since DRA was established. Learn more at dra.gov.