WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner released the following statement applauding the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which includes key provisions to deepen and widen channels in and around Norfolk Harbor, improve Virginia’s coastal resiliency, and strengthen Virginia’s wastewater treatment infrastructure:

“High-quality water infrastructure—from easy access to clean drinking water to protection from rising sea levels—plays a vital role in the health, well-being, and future of Virginia communities. That’s why we always fight to include funding and support for the Commonwealth in the annual bipartisan water infrastructure bill, and this year was no exception. Today’s legislation will help us plan for much-needed dredging in the Norfolk Harbor, protect drinking water, and safeguard communities from rising sea levels. We’re going to keep working to get it signed into law as quickly as possible.”

The legislation will help repair aging drinking water, wastewater, and irrigation systems across America, and Warner and Kaine successfully fought to include the following priorities for Virginia:

• An increase in the authorization of the Western Lee County Sewer Project from $20 million to $52 million. This project—which will create new opportunities for economic growth—is needed to serve residents of Western Lee County who currently do not have access to a public wastewater collection or treatment system, which poses a threat to public health and the area’s surface water and groundwater quality. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $281,295 to complete design of the Western Lee County Sewer Project and $2.2 million to initiate construction of this project. Increasing this authorization will allow the Army Corps to fully budget and carry out this project—pending Congressional appropriations.
• A study to support needed modifications to Anchorage F of the Norfolk Harbor and Channels Deepening and Widening project for improved safety and navigation; and
• A change in policy to give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flexibility to incorporate federal installations of other federal agencies as part of a flood or Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project sponsored by the Army Corps. This addresses longstanding challenges encountered during the Norfolk CSRM study phase, where Naval Station Norfolk and the NOAA Maritime Operations Center were excluded from the plan. Hampton Roads is home to at least 7 federal agencies and 17 installations that could benefit from this provision. The change comes after the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which resulted in $399.3 million in construction funding for Norfolk’s CSRM, and $1.5 million for Virginia Beach’s CSRM to cover the costs of a planning study. Senators Warner and Kaine have requested funding for a similar study for the City of Hampton and the surrounding area as a Congressional Directed Spending request to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill.

The next step for the legislation is a conference committee between the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, before returning to each body for final votes.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,200,000 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for Henry County. This funding will go towards improving 3,550 linear feet of Reservoir Road and updating gravel roadways to meet Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) standards. The project will support the creation of 400 new jobs, help leverage approximately $188 million in private investments, and improve access to the Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre, a development for advanced manufacturing.

“We’re pleased that more infrastructure dollars are headed to Henry County,” the senators said. “This project is another key investment in creating jobs, connecting people to local industry, and making our roads safer and stronger for decades to come.”

In addition to the ARC funds for this project, Henry County will provide $445,000, bringing the total to $1,645,000.

ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments that innovates and invests to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in 423 counties across the Appalachian region. Since 1965, ARC has invested $4.5 billion in approximately 28,000 economic development projects across Appalachia, attracting over $10 billion in matching project funds. 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $50,265,000 in federal funding for two Virginia airports awarded through the Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program, which was created through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act negotiated by Sen. Warner and strongly supported by Sen. Kaine.

“These funds will go toward modernizing and updating both Dulles and Richmond International Airports,” the senators said. “We are glad to see continued, meaningful investment in the Commonwealth’s infrastructure thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law that will make travel through our airports easier and more accessible.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $49,600,000 for Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, VA for the construction of a 14-gate Concourse to replace the existing temporary concourse.
• $665,000 for Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Richmond, VA for the renovation of the Federal Inspection Station to meet Customs and Border Protection Service Facility standards for international travel processing.

The funds awarded to Richmond International Airport come in addition to $3.969 million in Congressionally Directed Spending secured by Sens. Warner and Kaine in the 2022 government spending bill for the project and will enable consistent, international passenger flights through Richmond. Last year, the senators announced nearly $400 million in funding for Virginia airports secured through the bipartisan infrastructure law. 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighting the skyrocketing rates of motor vehicle fatalities and the need for swift action to reverse this trend.

The United States ranked first among 34 countries for the largest percentage increase in traffic fatalities in 2020. In the letter, the lawmakers note that nearly half of fatal crashes in 2021 can be linked to speeding, alcohol-impaired driving, or failure to use a seat belt. Additionally, the senators point out that dangerous roads also impact those outside the vehicle, with motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists accounting for 34 percent of all traffic fatalities in the past year.

“In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 42,915 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, up 10.5 percent since 2020 and a shocking 32 percent since 2011,” wrote the senators. “Despite new technology and safety features, roads are becoming more dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other roadway users. We urge the Department of Transportation to continue to prioritize roadway safety and promptly employ new regulatory authorities Congress provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reverse this disturbing trend.”

In addition to Sens. Warner and Markey, the letter was also signed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The lawmakers requested Secretary Buttigieg respond to the letter, specifically to provide:

1. Clarification on the plan to implement the National Roadway Safety Strategy;

2. Explanation of the Department’s use of existing resources and authorities to meet or beat deadlines for issuing auto safety rules;

3. Explanation of lessons the Department has taken from other countries to reduce traffic fatalities.

Sen. Warner has been a national leader on transportation issues as one of the chief authors of the landmark bipartisan infrastructure legislation signed into law by President Biden last year.

A copy of the letter is available here and below. 

Dear Secretary Buttigieg,

We write with grave concerns about the skyrocketing number of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States. In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 42,915 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, up 10.5 percent since 2020 and a shocking 32 percent since 2011. Despite new technology and safety features, roads are becoming more dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other roadway users. We urge the Department of Transportation to continue to prioritize roadway safety and promptly employ new regulatory authorities Congress provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reverse this disturbing trend.

Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the most common causes of death in the United States. Faced with an epidemic of traffic fatalities during the mid-twentieth century, Congress directed regulators to impose new safety requirements on automakers, including mandating that new cars include seatbelts and airbags, among other commonsense changes. Subsequently, motor vehicle fatalities declined, both in absolute figures and relative to total miles driven. Traffic fatalities dropped from more than 50,000 annually during the early 1970s to under 40,000 each year by 2008, and the fatality rate fell from 5 deaths per 100 million miles driven to 1.15 in 2009.

Unfortunately, during the 2010s, this decades-long progress in improving road safety came to a screeching halt and now has gone into reverse. As NHTSA’s data shows, absolute motor vehicle fatalities soared to nearly 43,000 in 2021, and the fatality rate hit 1.33. These trends are even worse for members of minority and low-income communities, who are disproportionately likely to be killed in a motor vehicle crash. Moreover, while traffic fatalities have risen in the United States, they have fallen in other countries. In fact, the United States ranked first among 34 countries for the largest percentage increase in traffic fatalities in 2020, compared with averages from 2017 to 2019. As you have rightfully declared, this is a national crisis.

This crisis has multiple causes. According to NHTSA’s recent report on traffic fatalities, in 2020, 45 percent of passenger vehicles in a fatal crash involved at least one of three behavioral factors: speeding, alcohol-impaired driving, and seat belt non-use. While the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have increased these reckless behaviors, our efforts to reduce them stalled even before COVID struck. For example, the absolute number of fatalities and fatality rate of alcohol-impaired driving stayed roughly flat over the past decade, before rising in 2020. Similarly, the percentage of front-seat passengers using seat belts rose steadily until 2016 — when it finally hit 90 percent — but has flat-lined since then. DOT data on speeding-related fatalities shows similar trends.

This stagnation in reducing risky behaviors masks important shifts in the affected populations. Individuals outside the vehicle — motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, among others — now make up 34 percent of traffic fatalities, up from 20 percent in the mid-1990s.

This increase is particularly notable in urban locations, where traffic fatalities have risen by 48 percent over the past 10 years while they have declined by 6.2 percent in rural areas. Pedestrian fatalities are up a whopping 61 percent in urban areas during that period. The conclusion is clear: Roads remain extremely dangerous — for those inside and outside the vehicle.

The Department of Transportation took an important first step to address this problem by issuing its National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) in January. In the NRSS, DOT, for the first time, set a goal of zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries and adopted a five-pronged “Safe System Approach.” This document is a laudable effort to recognize the traffic safety crisis and set achievable goals for implementing new safety regulations. Unfortunately, NHTSA’s record in issuing congressionally mandated rules — going back multiple administrations — raises concern that it may not meet the deadlines in the infrastructure law and the NRSS. While many of those deadlines remain over a year away, given last year’s fatality data, we urge DOT to move swiftly to implement these new rules ahead of schedule. There is no time to waste, and proven solutions — including congressionally mandated regulations requiring advanced driver assistance systems, advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention systems, and other safety improvements on new vehicles — are readily available.

Given the urgency of this problem, we ask that you please respond in writing to the following questions by June 29, 2022:

1.         What steps has the Department of Transportation taken since January 2022 to implement the National Roadway Safety Strategy? What processes are in place to ensure all target completion dates are met?

2.         How is the Department of Transportation utilizing existing resources and authorities to meet or even beat the deadlines for issuing auto safety rules as required under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act? How can Congress further support these efforts?

3.         What lessons has the Department taken from efforts by other countries to reduce traffic fatalities and accelerate safety improvements?

We applaud your tenacity in approaching this problem. As you declared on the first page of the NRSS, “We face a crisis on our roadways; it is both unacceptable and solvable.” We agree, and we stand ready to assist DOT and NHTSA as they undertake this critical mission to restart the regulatory engine that delivered such immense improvements in roadway safety during the latter half of the 20th century.

Thank you for your efforts on this important issue.

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WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $2,900,000 in federal funding from Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration for the Culpeper Regional Airport. This funding – made available thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act negotiated by Warner and strongly supported by Kaine last year – and will go towards the final phase of a project that will remove a road obstruction on the runway.

“This investment will provide Culpeper Regional Airport with the final batch of funds needed to complete this project, bringing Runway 22 up to Federal Aviation Administration standards,” the senators said.  “The Culpeper airport hosts 23,000 passengers a year who rely on the airport for convenient, accessible travel. We are pleased that these funds will support this necessary construction.”

In November of last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced nearly $400 million in funding for airports in the Commonwealth thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law.  

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 WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded  President Biden’s announcement of new efforts to lower high-speed internet costs for Virginians and all Americans, including commitments from 20 internet providers to either increase speeds or cut prices to no more than $30/month for Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)-eligible households. Warner and Kaine helped create the ACP, which was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Warner negotiated and they both voted to pass. 1,908,000 or 23% of people in Virginia will be eligible for the ACP.  

“We’ve made great progress in expanding broadband in Virginia, but too many Virginians still face challenges in accessing internet due to high costs. These steps to lower internet costs for families are critical to address that gap. We’re glad the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help more families stay connected with friends and loved ones, access telehealth services, and find job and educational opportunities online,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said.

Specifically, the ACP program provides a $30 per month discount, or $75 per month for households on tribal lands, for low-income families to use toward any internet service of their choosing. Today’s commitments from the 20 internet providers will mean tens of millions of ACP-eligible households will receive high-speed internet at no cost. Households can also receive a one-time $100 discount for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Eligible households must have an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or have a family member that meets at least one of these criteria outlined by the Federal Communications Commission. Virginians can go to GetInternet.gov to sign up for the ACP and find participating providers in their area.

As Governors and Senators, Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the December 2020 government funding bill, which included COVID relief, and the  American Rescue Plan. They also introduced legislation to help students access the internet at home. The Fiscal Year 2022 government funding bill supported by Warner and Kaine included $550 million to expand access to broadband and $450 million for the ReConnect program to help rural communities access the internet.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $65,591,635 in federal funding for Virginia to make homes more energy efficient and help lower utility costs. The funding will be awarded through the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which was expanded under the bipartisan infrastructure law‘s historic federal investments in upgrading our power infrastructure and reducing carbon emissions.

Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law in the coming weeks. This federal funding will allow the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to partner with organizations across the Commonwealth who provide weatherization services to make homes more energy efficient. The program will save an average of $372 in annual energy savings for American families. It will also help low-income families—who spend an average of 13.9% of their income on energy costs—save money.

“Virginia continues to benefit from the bipartisan infrastructure law,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will be used to make homes more energy efficient, help Virginia families save money by lowering their utility costs, and improve the health and safety of communities.”

This funding can be used for a variety of mechanical, building, electric and water, health and safety, and education measures, such as upgrading heating or cooling systems, installing energy efficient light sources, and installing insulation. 8,487 Virginia homes have been weatherized since 2010.

In addition to the $3.5 billion in funding for states across the country from the infrastructure law, the FY 2022 government funding bill included $313 million across the country for WAP. 

For information on how to apply, click here. For local providers in Virginia, click here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced the designation of $52,738,308 in federal funding awarded to the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads to make up for lost revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are glad to see these federal dollars go directly to Hampton Roads to invest in the region’s transportation grid,” the Senators said. “As we continue to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that the federal government continue to provide the assistance needed to aid economic recovery.” 

“This funding will enable Hampton Roads Transit to execute the Board’s multi-year strategy of providing critical transit services to support the recovery and resilience of the regional economy,”  President and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit William Harrell said. “This federal allotment will help mitigate ongoing risks and ensure long-term sustainability and operational performance of transit that supports citizens going to work, school, medical appointments, and other lifeline destinations. We applaud our Federal Delegation and Administration for their commitment to our great nation!”

ARP Additional Assistance Funding is awarded to transit systems demonstrating a need for additional assistance to cover operating expenses related to maintaining day-to-day operations, cleaning and sanitization, combating the spread of pathogens on transit systems and maintaining critical staffing levels. This funding is supplemental to the $56,164,715 in Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Urbanized Area Formula funds distributed through ARP.

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WASHINGTON – With billions of dollars in infrastructure funding up for grabs, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is working to give a leg up to Virginia’s counties, cities, towns, tribes, and stakeholders. Today, Sen. Warner unveiled a new resource webpage that will make these dollars as accessible as possible for Virginia localities as they prepare to compete for the funding, which was authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure law negotiated by Sen. Warner and signed by President Joe Biden.

“I’m excited to launch this page to help Virginia localities access the funding I was proud to negotiate and secure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Virginia stands to gain a historic amount of competitive funding, but only if we apply and compete for it. This site will help connect Virginians to key resources and help them stay on top of grant and funding opportunities,” said Sen. Warner. 

Among other things, the site:

• Visualizes application due dates with an interactive calendar, allowing users to better track deadlines.
• Filters grants by federal agency, allowing users to better locate grants that fit their needs.
• Enables users to easily request a letter from the Senator in support of a grant application.
• Provides a snapshot look at the funding that is already making its way to Virginia, and allows users to view in detail how that funding will be distributed and utilized throughout the Commonwealth. 

This competitive funding comes in addition to billions of dollars in formula funding, also authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure law. Formula funding is non-competitive and determined by pre-existing formulas, which are based on statistical criteria. In general, states, localities, and other entities that normally receive infrastructure funding from Congress can expect to receive a boost of additional federal dollars, distributed through traditional programs.

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 WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $15,745,244 in federal funding for Virginia to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. This funding is the first of five installments totaling $106,375,132 for building EV charging stations across the Commonwealth over the next five years. The funding was made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) negotiated by Senator Warner and strongly supported by Senator Kaine. The landmark law included $7.5 billion for EV charging stations and $5 billion for clean and electric school buses across the country.

“We’re pleased to see Virginia will receive significant federal funding to build electric vehicle charging stations across the Commonwealth,” said the senators. “This funding will encourage more Virginians to adopt clean vehicles and help ensure that families have access to reliable charging stations when they travel. Promoting electric vehicles is a critical step to address the climate crisis and protect public health.”

Under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program established by the bipartisan IIJA, each state must outline how the funding will be used and submit a plan to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation before receiving the funds. Localities are also able to apply to the program directly if their state does not submit a plan. In addition to this funding, states and localities will soon have the opportunity to apply for $2.5 billion in competitive grants for EV infrastructure, including in rural and underserved communities.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is calling on Congress to pass an omnibus spending bill for FY 2022 ahead of February 18, when existing funding is scheduled to expire. This comes as Congress weighs yet another stopgap bill to temporarily fund the government until March 11^th – a move that would avert a government shutdown but prevent Virginia and states across the country from accessing hundreds of millions of dollars in crucial funding available under the bipartisan infrastructure law passed by Congress in November.

In a letter to the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Sen. Warner highlighted that many programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that he helped to negotiate will not be fully funded until Congress approves a new spending package for 2022. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution which simply funds existing programs at the same levels as last year without adjusting or authorizing new spending – a kick-the-can-down-the-road maneuver that disproportionately hurts states like Virginia, which has a significant federal footprint.

“If Congress is unable to come to an agreement on full-year appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022, Virginia alone could lose approximately $364 million in roads and bridges funding and $53 million in transit funding. This is unacceptable, and I have repeatedly urged my colleagues to come together and pass an omnibus FY 2022 appropriations bill rather than squander these funding opportunities with another CR,” Sen. Warner wrote.

Additionally, without a new congressional spending deal, there is no funding to stand up new transportation grant programs approved by Congress as part of the infrastructure law.

“To better understand the full impact of another CR on these critical projects, I respectfully request that the Office of Management and Budget outline in detail, by Monday, February 14, all IIJA programs that are at risk of losing funding relative to funding levels authorized in IIJA, or having funding delayed under the CR framework,” he continued.

Sen. Warner has previously spoken out about the importance of avoiding painful government shutdowns and spending lapses. He introduced the Stop STUPIDITY (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years) Act, which would end the threat of future government shutdowns by keeping the government running in the case of a lapse in funding.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Director Young,

I write today with concerns over the potential loss of important new infrastructure funding due to Congress’ continued inaction in passing an FY22 omnibus appropriations bill.

Last year, the Senate passed and President Biden signed a historic bipartisan infrastructure package that will help deliver on the decades-old promise of serious investment in our nation’s infrastructure. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) includes $110 billion in new funding for roads and bridges, nearly $40 billion in new funding for public transit, and billions more for essential  infrastructure improvements. I was proud to be part of a bipartisan group of ten Senators – five Democrats and five Republicans – who helped put this package together with the support of the Administration.

However, I am concerned that Congress’ continued inaction on Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations could undercut many of the investments provided under the new law. Significant increases to Highway Trust Fund programs to construct roads, bridges, and transit cannot take effect under a Continuing Resolution (CR). Due to a constraint of the CR, the obligation limit on contract authority for Highway Trust Fund programs that are the largest areas of highway and transit investment distributed annually, which were authorized in the IIJA for significant funding increases, are stuck at lower Fiscal Year 2021 levels. Additionally, due to the “No New Starts” provision of the CR, newly created programs in the IIJA cannot begin.

In particular, the newly established Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program, which received $7.3 billion in formula funding and $1.4 billion in competitive grants to improve the resiliency of transportation infrastructure in the IIJA, cannot begin to distribute funding without a full-year appropriations bill. Just this fiscal year, that means the potential squandering of $1.4 billion nationwide, and approximately $36 million in Virginia. This would prevent coastal communities, like those in Hampton Roads, from accessing critical funds that would support the resiliency of their transportation networks.

Similarly, the Carbon Reduction Program, another program approved on a broadly bipartisan basis to lower carbon emissions in our transportation system, stands to lose $1.2 billion nationwide this fiscal year, including $31 million in Virginia. This program will go a long way in Virginia towards helping us meet our climate goals, whether it is supporting the electrification of the Port of Virginia, truck stop electrification along the I-81 corridor, or installing bicycle and pedestrian facilities in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.

If Congress is unable to come to an agreement on full-year appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022, Virginia alone could lose approximately $364 million in roads and bridges funding and $53 million in transit funding. This is unacceptable, and I have repeatedly urged my colleagues to come together and pass an omnibus FY 2022 appropriations bill rather than squander these funding opportunities with another CR. Unfortunately, I am concerned this may just be the tip of the iceberg.

To better understand the full impact of another CR on these critical projects, I respectfully request that the Office of Management and Budget outline in detail, by Monday, February 14, all IIJA programs that are at risk of losing funding relative to funding levels authorized in IIJA, or having funding delayed under the CR framework.

I thank you and your staff for your tireless efforts in implementing the IIJA and your work in allocating and distributing these funds to communities across the country.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and I look forward to continue working with you to support these critical projects for Virginia and the country.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $971,639 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded to the Economic Development Authority of Floyd County to develop the Floyd Regional Commerce Center. The funds will be used to construct an access road, an industrial cul-de-sac, and a pedestrian and bike path that will stimulate economic growth and support the creation of an estimated 130 new jobs in the region.

“We’re pleased to see Floyd County receive this additional federal resource to finish construction of a new access road,” said the Senators. “This funding will create good-paying jobs and bolster economic development in the region.”

This funding is in addition to the more than $1 million in federal assistance that Sens. Warner and Kaine announced in September 2017. VDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are administering the project.

In August, Sen. Kaine visited the Floyd Innovation Center to learn more about their work to support entrepreneurs and growth-oriented businesses including in specialty foods and other products. He also gathered feedback on how he can help support small businesses at the federal level.

ARC is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments, including Virginia, aimed at investing in community capacity and strengthening economic growth in the Appalachian region. In Fiscal Year 2020, ARC supported 42 projects totaling $11.1 million and created or retained 4,600 jobs in Virginia.

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