• Post category:General

Grant PresentationTim Thomas, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC); the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED); and NEPA Alliance presented Lackawanna County with a $784,883 ARC Local Access Road grant.

NEPA Alliance, in coordination with the DCED Center for Strategic Partnerships, assisted in preparation of the grant and recommended the project to ARC for approval. ARC funding will be used to construct just over one mile of road (1.03 miles of the 2.3 mile long road) to improve the overall access to the business park and support the 17 businesses and organizations that are tenants.

ARC’s Access Road Program mission is to better link the Region’s businesses, communities, and residents to the existing transportation infrastructure. The program offers a flexible approach designed to meet local needs and provide a financing mechanism to support a variety of economic development opportunities throughout Appalachia. (Source: www.arc.gov.)

The federal grant, combined with $505,367 in match funding from the PA DCED Multimodal Transportation Fund, supports the retention of over 2,800 jobs and assists with the potential expansion of businesses within the park.

NEPA Alliance is a full service economic development lender offering eleven (11) low interest loan programs for job creation and job retention in our region.

Pictured from left: Kurt Bauman, NEPA Alliance; Larry West, Senator John Blake’s Office; Jack McNulty, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry; State Representative Marty Flynn; Tim Thomas, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC); Aimee Wechsler, Senator Bob Casey’s Office; Sheri Collins, Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED); Brenda Sacco, Lackawanna County; Lauren Atwell-Bass, Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED); Sandi Opshinsky, Lackawanna County; and Jeffrey Box, NEPA Alliance.