(NASHVILLE) — Today, House Finance, Ways, & Means Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) joined with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) to announce a $94,500 site development grant to help boost economic development in Washington County.
Specifically, the county will receive $94,500 in funding to cover due diligence studies on the 37 acres of land most recently purchased for the Washington County Industrial Park so local leaders can continue efforts to create a master plan for this site.
“This grant will support our current and future workforce by creating new jobs at the Washington County Industrial Park site, which will enhance our local economy,” said Chairman Hill. “I am honored to partner with our local leaders to assist them in securing these funds, and I will never stop fighting for additional resources that support our community, the Northeast Tennessee region, and all regions of our state.”
The Site Development Grant program — part of the larger Rural Economic Opportunity Act passed in 2016 — works to assist communities in finalizing infrastructure and engineering improvements for project ready certified sites. These grants are intended to help rural communities overcome barriers and prepare them to receive economic development projects that will bring in new jobs to their communities.
An advisory committee made up of staff from the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Austin Consulting, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture selected these sites for grant funding. The application process was competitive with grants awarded based on benefit to the community, economic impact, and projected return on investment.
Matthew Hill is the Chairman of the House Finance, Ways, & Means Appropriations Subcommittee and the Chairman of the Select Committee on Rules. He is also a member of the Calendar & Rules, Finance, Ways, & Means, Health and Insurance Committees, and the Facilities, Licensure, & Regulations, Finance, Ways, & Means, and Public Health Subcommittees. Hill resides in Jonesborough and represents Tennessee House District 7, which includes a portion of Washington County. He can be reached by email at: [email protected] or by calling (615) 741-2251.