(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Commerce is providing the Village of Milan, New Mexico, with a $2.7 million grant for roadway infrastructure improvements at the Milan Industrial Park.
The Department’s Economic Development Administration will provide the grant. It will support industrial park development, hoping to attract businesses and private investment.
The project will receive $684,750 in local funds; it will create 54 jobs and $3.2 million in private investment, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico.
“This federal investment will help put the Milan Industrial Park on the map as an ideal place for businesses to set up shop, helping Cibola County attract new employers and connect residents with new career opportunities,” Heinrich said. “I will keep working to steer strategic infrastructure investments like this to communities all across our state to build the economic future that New Mexicans deserve.”
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-New Mexico, said the funding will help provide well-paid jobs in the state.
“It’s critical we continue investing in our local communities and supporting businesses, especially those in rural small towns,” Luján said. “That’s why I’m proud to welcome this federal investment of more than $2 million to help upgrade roadways and improve access to Milan Industrial Park. This funding will bring more businesses to this community while creating more good-paying jobs for New Mexicans.”
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed a similar sentiment.
“Investments in rural infrastructure are a key part of our effort to bolster economic development in every part of New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham said. “This funding will go a long way toward attracting new businesses to the area, supporting existing business owners in Milan, and creating new job opportunities and career paths for New Mexicans.”
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo praised President Joe Biden for the administration providing this funding to Milan.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is providing the resources for businesses to thrive in America,” Raimondo said in the release. “This EDA investment in the Village of Milan will pave the way for new industrial businesses to establish in the region, creating jobs and strengthening the regional economy.”
The project is receiving funding through the Assistance to Coal Communities initiative. In it, the EDA provides funding to communities negatively impacted by the declining use of coal.
“ACC projects support economic diversification, job creation, capital investment, workforce development, and re-employment opportunities,” the release said.
