Initiatives will support workforce training and public infrastructure

CLAY, KY - On June 20, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear joined federal and local officials to celebrate $2,950,657 in funding from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). The funds will go to four projects to bolster economic development and improve public infrastructure.

In March, Gov. Beshear was named the States’ Co-Chair of the DRA. He was joined today by DRA Federal Co-Chair Dr. Corey Wiggins.

“The DRA does amazing work for our families across Western Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today, we celebrated projects to support workforce training, continue our economic momentum and ensure our public infrastructure is up to date. This is a great example of working together on the federal, state and local levels to make life better for Kentuckians.”

The funding will go to four projects:

- The city of Sturgis will use $2,024,000 to rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plant;

- Henderson Community College will use $450,000 to support its MAINTech program. This is an advanced industrial maintenance training program that is working to address the need for skilled industrial workers in Western Kentucky;

- The Webster County Fiscal Court will also use $326,657 for the Webster County Workforce Training Equipment project in Dixon. The funds will be used to purchase workforce training equipment for students in manufacturing, health care, industrial and computer-aided design career tracks; and

- The Webster County Fiscal Court will use another $150,000 to develop a comprehensive economic development plan, focusing on creating an economically and climate resilient community that has experienced a decline in coal-industry jobs.

“This is a big moment and a huge first step for the citizens of Sturgis,” said Sturgis Mayor Billy Adams. “Rehab of our wastewater treatment plant will allow the city to provide a quality service to its citizens now and into the future.”

“We are thrilled to receive funding from DRA and appreciate the cooperation and assistance we received from our Green River Area Development District partners,” said Dr. Jason Warren, president of Henderson Community College. “The MAINTech project represents the next logical progression in our efforts to increase the number of multiskilled technicians in our region. We recently doubled the capacity of our advanced manufacturing labs, which support our HCCFAME apprenticeship model program, our traditional Industrial Maintenance Technician (IMT) program and customized industry training. MAINTech is designed to increase the number of individuals in the industrial maintenance talent pipeline.”

Since Gov. Beshear took office, Kentucky has seen record funding from the DRA. In 2022, Kentucky received the most investment in the state’s history from the DRA’s States’ Economic Development Assistance Program at $1.6 million.

About the Delta Regional Authority
The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River region and Alabama Black Belt. The DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training and business development. The DRA’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region.

Gov. Beshear’s term as DRA States’ Co-Chair follows his term as States’ Co-Chair of the Appalachain Regional Commission, which serves Appalachian Kentucky.