BLOOMSBURG —
A $15 million grant to Columbia County will help protect two major businesses, and nearly 1,000 jobs, from flooding, a federal official said Wednesday.
“This means saving 900 critical manufacturing jobs and guaranteeing businesses stay and grow and create new jobs to invest in future support of American manufacturing,” said Matt Erskine, U.S. deputy assistant secretary for economic development in the Economic Development Administration.
Speaking in Autoneum of North America at 480 W. Fifth St., he said the flood control system will protect that company along with nearby Windsor Foods.
The grant, to Columbia County, will help build flood control systems, which will include flood walls, possibly moving utilities, moving a waterway, if necessary, and installing pumps.
Erskine said the grant was the largest amount awarded in the Economic Development Administration’s Philadelphia region. The money, from fiscal year 2012, was appropriated for disaster recovery projects.
He lauded U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta as a “long a champion of this great project.”
‘A long road’
“It’s been a long road to higher ground,” Barletta said.
“This makes it extra special for the jobs and to save jobs that will come in the future,” Barletta said. “We were able to make sure Washington knew how special this business and Windsor Foods are to the community and to the country.”
Autoneum makes carpets for vehicles and employs more than 700.
Saying “it really was a team effort,” Barletta commended Gov. Tom Corbett, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, Bloomsburg Mayor Dan Knorr and the Columbia County commissioners.
Representatives of the offices of Toomey and of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey also spoke.
“I cannot thank you enough. We were facing a community shrinking or keeping a job base and the ability to grow,” Knorr said.
Saying flood protection has been decades in the making, Knorr thanked Autoneum and Windsor employees for helping their companies to quickly recover from the September 2011 flood.
Barletta also thanked state Sen. John Gordner and state Rep. David Millard for their help with the project.
Autoneum has a connection to Montour County. It leases 60,000 square feet at the Iron Town Commerce Center in Danville, said Tim Hockney, vice president of manufacturing. The company recently began storing products there.
Town, county chip in
Erskine said the Bloomsburg flood protection project also includes a co-investment of $11.8 million from the state and $3.2 million from Columbia County. The total project cost is estimated at $30 million.
Erskine spoke at Autoneum’s Building 42, a production building, following a tour. He said it was an impressive manufacturing facility that started supplying horse and buggy users in the 1800s and has grown to become a top global manufacturer.
He said the federal government’s investment in the flood protection system is aimed at ensuring Autoneum doesn’t have to shut down again. The shutdown affected auto manufacturers in the U.S.
Tropical Storm Lee caused a record crest of 32.7 feet of the Susquehanna River in 2011.
It left about one-third of Bloomsburg under water.
The project will include construction of flood protection systems at two separate industrial sites.
The first includes construction of a 5,300-foot flood wall, relocation of about 2,100 feet of Snyder Run, a new pump station and storm water and groundwater conveyance and a new collection system.
The second site includes construction of a 3,000-foot flood wall, a sewage pump station and relocation of utilities.
The project is part of a $200 million appropriation by Congress to the Economic Development Administration to help communities with a major disaster designation in fiscal year 2011 with long-term economic recovery and infrastructure support.
News
Columbia County gets $15 million for flood control project
- News
-
-
Troopers become teachers at Camp Cadet
More than 50 cadets marched onto the Susquehanna University football practice field and stood at attention while Milton state trooper Matt Burrows explained the importance of self-discipline.
-
Family fears cat killer
Members of a Point Township family don’t feel safe after their pet cat was found dead Friday in the middle of their backyard, shot in the heart.
-
Road stretch reopens
The first phase of the $3.9 million “big dig” in Mifflinburg is over as a reconstructed section of Route 45, or Chestnut Street, will reopen today, PennDOT announced.
-
State Supreme Court upholds the judicial retirement age
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is unanimously rejected a challenge to a portion of the state constitution that requires judges to retire by the end of the year in which they turn 70.
-
Sen. Casey calls on Congress to stop student loan rate increase
PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is calling for legislation to prevent an interest rate increase on federally subsidized student loans.
-
U.S. Military plans would put women in most combat jobs
WASHINGTON — Women may be able to start training as Army Rangers by mid-2015 and as Navy SEALs a year later under plans set to be announced by the Pentagon that would slowly bring women into thousands of combat jobs, including those in elite special operations forces.
-
Governor signs anti-abortion insurance coverage bill
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is joining about 20 other states in limiting coverage of abortions under health care insurance policies offered in a federally-run insurance marketplace starting next year under a sweeping federal law.
-
Ohio police chief takes criminals to task online
KENT, Ohio — If you’re up to no good in this pocket of northeast Ohio, especially in a witless way, you’re risking not only jail time or a fine but a swifter repercussion with a much larger audience: You’re in for a social media scolding from police Chief David Oliver and some of his small department’s 51,000 Facebook fans.
-
Court Dockets
A roundup of news from local district and county courts.
-
Today in 'Our Valley'
Photo exhibit opens at library's new art gallery
Swimmers unite in record-breaking effort
Captive readers warm to book club at Snyder County prison
Family and fans remember Davy Jones in his beloved Beavertown
-
U.S. Supreme Court: Arizona citizenship proof law is illegal
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.
-
Route 45 road work in Mifflinburg shifts east on Tuesday
MIFFLINBURG — The contractor reconstructing Route 45 through downtown Mifflinburg will open the first reconstructed section to traffic on Tuesday and close the next section slated for reconstruction.
-
Police Log
A daily roundup of police news from around the region.
-
IRS official contradicts official claims about reviews
WASHINGTON — An Internal Revenue Service supervisor in Washington says she was personally involved in scrutinizing some of the earliest applications from tea party groups seeking tax-exempt status, including some requests that languished for more than a year without action.
-
Today's Top Videos
-
Valley rodeo stars heading West
MIFFLINBURG - Is New Mexico really the Land of Enchantment? Keariana Lauver, of Middleburg, and Rebecca Haines, of Mifflinburg, will find out as they make their national junior rodeo debuts there next week.
-
10 things to know today
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
-
Fewer children, more gray hair
The Valley’s population has gotten grayer over the past two years as has the number of Pennsylvanians age 65 and over, which has passed 2 million for the first time.
- More News Headlines
-
Troopers become teachers at Camp Cadet
