A $200,000 grant announced by Gov. Robert Bentley will improve public water services and encourage economic expansion at a Jasper industrial park.
Funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be used to build a one-million-gallon water tank and add new water lines at Bevill Industrial Park. The increased water capacity will assist existing businesses at the 500-acre park and enhance recruitment of new industry.
The park, which is located near Interstate 22, is home to several industries including a parts supplier for automobile manufacturers in Alabama and Mississippi. The new interstate extends for more than 200 miles and provides a major highway between Birmingham and Memphis.
“Adequate infrastructure is a crucial factor for many existing and new industries that want to expand or locate in Alabama,” Bentley said. “With the ARC grant to the city of Jasper, the potential of this industrial park to attract industries and provide jobs for Alabamians is significant. Thanks to local, state and federal partnerships, projects like the one announced today in Jasper can help areas continue to grow and be successful."
Bentley notified Jasper Mayor V.L. “Sonny” Posey that the grant had been approved.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the ARC program in Alabama.
Congress established the ARC in 1965 as a supplemental grant program to raise the standard of living, improve the quality of life and promote economic development in portions of the 13 Appalachian mountain states. Thirty-seven Alabama counties, including Walker County, are part of the ARC area.
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, workforce development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
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Contact Jim Plott or Larry Childers