Dept. of Commerce invests $75,000 in four counties
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $75,000 Investment to the Columbia-Pacific Resource Conservation & Economic Development District (Col-Pac RC&EDD) of Montesano, WA.
This EDA Investment will assist the Col-Pac RC&EDD to coordinate and implement a project focused on regional economic recovery efforts in Grays Harbor, Mason, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties in response to the December 2007 storms that devastated the region. While assistance has been available to private citizens, government entities and landowners, assistance to local businesses has been limited. This project will seek to identify how local businesses can be helped both before a devastating event and afterwards.
Col-Pac RC&EDD is a 501c3 recognized by the IRS. The Board is focused on serving the needs of members who come from both public and private entities. Membership is open to government entities and non-profits in the four county area served.
“This is another exciting opportunity for us to provide our members with assistance, especially in the more remote rural areas where folks are often overlooked. We are so pleased to have this grant from the EDA. It means we will be able to bring more information and assistance to our members in the four counties we serve. The final product, a recovery plan for businesses in times of disaster, is greatly needed to help the state and national government agencies identify new ways to help our local businesses,” says Cathy Russ, Director of Pacific County’s EDC and Board President of Col-Pac RC&EDD.
This project fits well within the mission of the Col-Pac RC&EDD to promote and engage regional partnerships to preserve and enhance our communities by creating economic opportunity and advocating sustainability and revitalization of the diverse area we serve.
Col-Pac RC&EDD will take the lead in producing documented impact assessments applicable to short and long-term regional economic recovery plans. Additional project deliverables will include assisting businesses with mitigation planning, procedure revisions and preparation of recovery funding applications.
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $75,000 in Grays Harbor, Mason, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties.
For additional information contact the Columbia-Pacific RC&EDD staff at (360) 249-2267.